TULSA, Okla. — Winter weather had City of Tulsa street crews out making sure drivers are safe amid snow and ice.
Now, though, temperatures are slightly higher, and they are starting to treat potholes along the roads.
Extremes of hot and cold can exacerbate pothole issues. City Street Maintenance Manager Tim McCorkell said he and his crews anticipate additional road problems, but they can't fix it alone.
"With this extreme weather coming in, the extreme cold, I kind of expect to have a multitude of issues," said McCorkell. "A lot of them are going to be minor small [potholes], but we do rely on the citizens of Tulsa to call in the hazardous ones."
The city encourages people to take time to report potholes they come across, in one of three ways:
- Reports can be made through the Tulsa311 app
- Online at Tulsa311.com
- By calling the customer care center at 311 or (918) 596-2100
"If you can document the larger ones, we’ll get the smaller ones that aren’t as hazardous," said McCorkell. "But we really need people to call the 311 or use the app to report the more hazardous, larger potholes."
One Tulsan, Amanda Garrison, said she removed some streets from her regular routes entirely depending on the condition of the pavement.
"I’ll avoid the road if its bad enough and go a different route, or just go slow," said Garrison. "We do have to be careful as drivers."
Garrison was not familiar with the Tulsa311 reporting forums. She said with it being as simple as a phone call or through an app, it did interest her.
"Every winter, you get all the freezes and as they say, the freeze expands the asphalt and then it causes cracks and holes and potholes so appreciate the city fixing those so we don’t damage our cars and have to get new realignments," said Garrison.
As for locations she had in mind for repairs, she said only one strip of city roads came to mind off the top of her head. Garrison said Southwest Boulevard on the other side of the Arkansas River is not her favorite road to drive, with a mix of filled and untreated spots up all over.
Garrison is a dedicated runner, training for her next Ultra race, and said having that area treated would also be helpful for the bike races that run through it.
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