TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa highway interchange is causing a headache, and worry, for some drivers.
The lights on the ramp from North US-169 to I-244 West are off. That darkness causes concern for Joe Beattie.
“I’ve seen people actually turn their brights on just to get around," Beattie said.
Beattie drives the ramp five days a week, usually early in the morning. He said the lights have been off for a while and he’s worried about the safety of drivers.
“A lot of people sometimes cross over into your lane up there because it’s dark," Beattie said. "Sure, they may be doing something else, [on their] phone.”
Another concern for Beattie is the condition of the road. If you’ve driven it, you know you’re in for a bumpy ride.
“As you start up the hill it’s not too bad, but then as you start getting into the curve, they’ve filled the potholes, but they didn’t try to pat them down so now you’ve got sort of a speed bump," Beattie said.
He said he’s seen multiple wrecks there and has had some close calls himself.
“Just as I started coming out, car on the inside lane lost control and fish-tailed out," Beattie said. "Luckily I stopped. But, I mean, I’ve seen other people just almost sideswipe each other.”
We reached out to the Oklahoma Department of Transportation about the lights and the road. It said the ramp is scheduled to be fixed, but construction may not be until next year. That work will include installing new light poles and fixing the road.
We also reached out to the city of Tulsa, which is responsible for maintaining the lights. It said, knowing an ODOT project was coming soon, it chose to concentrate on fixing other areas where it could stretch dollars further and get more lights on.
So until the state steps in, those lights won't get fixed.
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