Brookside construction completed after a year-long project, companies hope for an upswing

Construction in Brookside is finally complete after the City of Tulsa began a project more than a year ago.

A local business owner is relieved and says how good it feels not to see any orange cones.

The owner of Slo Ride Tavern says the construction put a huge strain on his business, blocking the entrance at least four times, but now that it’s clear, he’s hoping business is booming.

South Peoria Avenue and East 41st Street in Tulsa received a facelift that took more than a year to produce.

“It feels like forever because it took so long to get it done,” said Sean Welborn, owner of Slo Ride Tavern.

Sean Welborn is the owner of Slo Ride Tavern in Brookside and says his business took a big hit because a lot of the work was happening right outside the tavern’s front door.

“If you didn’t know how to get in through the neighborhood, you just kept driving, so it was challenging to say the least,” Welborn said.

According to the City of Tulsa, in addition to repairing the road, crews also made drainage improvements.

Welborn says it’s been difficult for his customers to get all of this done.

“Especially, you know, the traffic from all areas north and south, it’s difficult to turn left, it’s difficult to turn right, whether you’re on this side, on the south side, on the west side of the road , on the east side of the street, “It was always going to be difficult to get here no matter what,” Welborn said.

People driving through the area agree.

“As it took longer and longer, I thought, oh my God, it has to hurry up because there would be reserves because of the construction and then it would be difficult for people to leave Walmart because people wouldn’t even leave a gap.” anyone,” Tulsa resident Emily Cammas said.

As for Welborn, he expects business at Slo Ride Tavern to pick up now that the project is complete and it’s the holiday season.

“People are out and about having fun. Now that there are two or four lanes, it will be great,” he said.

The city of Tulsa says it has begun a new project on Harvard Avenue between 41st Street and 51st Street to replace water mains and resurface streets.

The city says the work will last until February.

The entire project is expected to be completed by the end of August, barring any weather-related delays.