Why the STCC Opposes the Bridge
- Safety - This is the major issue and one that separates this bridge from other bridges in history and from all other issues, both pro and con. The safety issue concerns all citizens who will travel 121st, Delaware and Yale as well as our children who will travel and cross Yale Avenue just south of 101st street as they enter and leave the Jenks SE Elementary school. Move That Bridge believes strongly that infrastructure improvements are critical to the safety of everyone involved and that these improvements must be made before traffic starts to cross this bridge:
- Deadman's Curve - this is the intersection of Delaware and 121st where several accidents have happened. With increased traffic coming up Delaware/Riverside, this intersection must be improved. There is already a new housing addition near this location which will start to bring even more traffic and children entering and exiting this area. The additional bridge traffic will exacerbate this situation and, in the opinion of Move That Bridge, result in accidents and possible deaths.
- Yale Avenue from 101st Street to 121st Street - this is currently a two-lane blacktop road that runs primarily through a heavily populated residential area. It is already in poor condition due to truck traffic which should not even be traveling on the road. Move That Bridge is concerned that additional traffic from the proposed route will bring excess commuter and truck traffic up this road resulting in tremendous traffic problems which will render the issue of availability of the road for emergency traffic somewhat moot
- Jenks Southeast Elementary School - This school is located just south of the intersection of 101st and Yale Avenue. There is currently no way for children to cross Yale other than a crossing guard. There is no light and no crosswalk such as the one on Harvard at 54th Street for the grade school there. Parents who attend meetings or who drop off and pick up their children must now either park on the grass to the side of the road or stop in the road. Excessive traffic will, in the opinion of Move That Bridge, result in accidents and possible death to children.
Move That Bridge believes strongly that there are four things that must be done to resolve the safety problem. First, place the bridge back at its original location on the north side of the river. This would route the bridge to the Deadman's Curve area, allowing construction to take care of this dangerous intersection and alleviate traffic problems in that area where housing is being built and produce a truck route that is safe. Second, make immediate improvements on Delaware and 121st from the turnpike to Memorial to insure a safe route for heavy traffic. Third, improve Yale Avenue in a manner that is conducive to safety at the school and maintains the look of beautiful south Tulsa without the "landing strip" mentality of roads like Sheridan between 71st and 81st. We do not see a reason to lose 100 year old Oak Trees when a well planned 3 lane road could move just as much traffic in a safer manner than a four-lane expressway. Finally, we believe that large truck traffic should be routed up Delaware to the Creek Turnpike and that restrictions should be placed on Yale Avenue to prevent heavy trucks from traveling that route.
2. Move That Bridge is concerned about the politics and business ethics involved in this bridge and that these issues are pushing the bridge more than the actual needs of the communities, causing unethical and illegal actions on the part of elected and appointed officials. Move That Bridge will continue to bring to light any and all ethical and legal problems that are uncovered as this issue continues.
3. Move That Bridge is concerned that the process used by Tulsa County does not follow the laws and regulations that are on the books. By entering into a multi-year agreement, Tulsa County has not shown to the satisfaction of Move That Bridge that the citizens will not be liable for the bridge in the future. If something should happen to IVI (bankruptcy or something else) or if the bridge cannot pay for itself, the county could be financially responsible for the debts. If so, this could come back to the taxpayers which would mean that the county encumbered the citizens in terms of their tax money for several years. This seems to require a vote or some type of insurance. Move That Bridge believes that the bridge process is at best unethical and at worst illegal; it needs to be put to a vote and it needs to be prioritized in relationship to other needs in the area and in Tulsa.
Now that Tulsa County is no longer involved in the bridge process, Move That Bridge believes that the cities involved, Jenks and Tulsa, should work together to develop a bridge plan that will work for everyone. The development of a bridge that will affect everyone should not be a unilateral undertaking.
4. Move That Bridge believes that this bridge will cost the county and citizens millions of dollars. At this point, Tulsa County is giving up over $600M to a private firm for payment to their investors. Move That Bridge has many business people as members and certainly understands the need for investors to recoup their investment and make a profit from it. However, Move That Bridge believes that the amount of money being paid to the investors is out of line, especially when the county believes that they need to pass a tax which will provide them with $50M in money for county improvements. The ability of the county to build this toll-bridge needs to be reviewed to see if monies from the tolls could go to the county in a more front-loaded fashion to help defer or eliminate the need for the additional tax on everyone. If the county is concerned that the bridge cannot support itself in tolls, then the second point above becomes even more critical. Now that Tulsa County is out of the bridge issue, the City of Jenks has determined that they should receive money from a toll bridge. Move That Bridge continues to believe that any bridge should be developed in a manner that takes the concerns of everyone into consideration.
5. The bridge is not needed immediately according to the Indian Nations Council of Governments (INGOG). Tim Armer of INCOG has publicly stated that the bridge is not needed at this time and that EMSA is currently handling all emergencies within the required time frames. Move That Bridge believes that this fact gives the cities involved plenty of time to provide the needed improvements so that a bridge can be built in the correct manner with the correct process.
6. Move That Bridge is concerned for the land owners on the south side of the river. Their homes, under the current routing plan, will be taken by eminent domain. There is land directly to the west of these homes that could be used for the approach to the bridge. However, the land is currently being held for development once the bridge is built. Move That Bridge believes that it is more critical for homeowners to keep their homes than it is for developers to profit from the taking of such homes. While this is not a legal or safety issue, Move That Bridge believes it is an ethics issue.
7. Move That Bridge desires economic development for all parties involved and understands how economic growth in Tulsa, Bixby and Jenks will be synergistic and help everyone. The economic study that was recently completed is, in the opinion of Move That Bridge, slanted and biased at best, and was done by IVI in an attempt to persuade people that the good of the bridge outweighs all the negatives. Move That Bridge believes that no amount of economic development is worth lives and property if better alternatives are available.
8. Move That Bridge agrees that emergency services are needed by everyone. Move That Bridge does not believe that the current need is such that it surpasses other safety issues and the problems associated with this bridge as currently proposed.