The City of Tulsa is finally beginning actual work on the expansion of Yale Avenue between 81st and 91st Streets in South Tulsa.

Tulsa has contracted with Becco Contractors Inc. for this $29,257,000 project funded by sales tax.

Benham was the design consultant for the project. The final cost will be an estimated $37 million.

Yale Avenue will be widened from two lanes to six lanes between 81st and 91st streets.

The project will include retaining walls, landscaping, waterlines, storm sewers, sanitary sewers, curb, gutter and sidewalks on both sides.

When the two-lane road is expanded, Yale Avenue will be at least four lanes from the Creek Turnpike to the I-244.

Officials said the road will be made safer, with the drop-offs eliminated from the side of the road and the tight curves smoothed out to improve sight distance.

“This is the largest street project in Tulsa’s history…” said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum.”When it is complete, we will have a much safer road, widened to match Yale Avenue north and south of this project.”

Councilor Phil Lakin said, “This section of Yale has been one of the most dangerous roads in Tulsa for way too long. That’s no more. Today, we’re beginning work that will widen, flatten, and straighten this twisty, hilly road so people can finally travel this corridor safely and efficiently.

“South Tulsans have pleaded for these changes for decades, and I appreciate their vote in funding this project and patience as it’s completed.”

Lakin said the Tulsa Police Department told him after he was elected found that from 2004 and 2012 there were 177 collisions along the road, including 76 injury accidents and one fatality.

Construction began in late October, and completion of the project is scheduled for fall 2023.

The work schedule for this project will be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting, with an option for the contractor to work on Saturdays.

During the early stages of the project, work will include construction of retaining walls and waterlines.

For the next phase of the project, scheduled to begin in winter 2022, Yale Avenue will be closed to through traffic between 81st and 91st streets. Residents will have access to their neighborhoods from either north or south of the complete closure.

When two-way traffic reopens between 81st Street and 91st Street, the rest of construction will involve building more retaining walls, waterline and the roadway.

The final phase of the project will include landscaping consisting of trees on the roadsides and shrubs in the medians.