TULSA, Okla. — The city of Tulsa said it is monitoring the possibility of wintry weather moving through the area Thursday into Friday and Sunday into Monday.
The city said although the forecast will determine its plans, crews will be ready to respond.
The city is responsible for removing snow and ice from all main streets, L.L. Tisdale Highway and Gilcrease Highway, except for the Turnpike section. Other highways in Tulsa are responsible for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
During the winter weather response, the city said its first focus is clearing the city's major streets for emergency responders. After the main streets are cleared, the focus shifts to residential streets near hospitals and schools and areas with steep hills.
To respond to winter weather, the city did the following:
- 63 trucks loaded with salt, 48 of which are equipped with snowplows.
- Four trucks equipped with brine fluid distribution systems and snowplows installed.
- Seven 4×4 pickup trucks equipped with snowplows.
- Two graders used as plows.
The city said they also have about 6,500 tons of salt and are still receiving more. They also have two brine mixing systems with 25,000 gallons of brine.
The city said crews are assigned to 36 routes totaling about 1,770 miles, a distance about as long as driving from Tulsa to San Francisco, California.
Spreading and plowing routes are prioritized based on traffic volume in the area. Once major streets are clear and conditions permit, selected residential streets can be addressed based on traffic and grade.
When no rain is expected before the winter rains, city crews treat roads with brine, a mixture of salt and water.
If there is rain before the winter rains, crews will wait for the shift to apply salt to occur, as the salt water will be washed off the roads.
If there is enough snow on the roads to plow, the city uses a team of plows to remove the snow.
If you see a city truck on the road, you are asked to drive slowly and keep your distance.
The city also listed several warming stations for those seeking shelter from the cold:
- John 3:16 Mission, 506 North Cheyenne Street: Open 24/7.
- The Salvation Army Hope Center, 102 North Denver Street: Open 24/7.
- Tulsa Day Center, 415 West Archer Street: Open 24/7.
- Denver Avenue Station, 319 South Denver Avenue: Open 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. 6:30 AM to 11:30 PM on Saturday. 8am to 6pm on Sunday.
For winter weather tips from the city, click here.
For a link to a map of the city's snow and ice roads, click here.
