Rainy day roads

[NellieBly]

Is it just me or does it seem that Tulsa streets are having drainage problems? I know some days the rains comes hard and fast and, of course, there will be flooding issues when that happens. I am talking about a spring shower. A little rain will cause flooding at certain intersections, such as 11th and Harvard and on Sheridan from 15th to 21st. Deep, standing water.
Even during a small shower, it is impossible to drive the curb lane on most streets due to standing water. Is flooding and water drainage even a consideration when pouring more asphalt on the street?

It just seems to me that street flooding is getting worse.

[T-Town Now]

I notice that there often aren't any drains where the water is standing. It's as if over the years the streets have been topped off so many times, they no longer have the slope necessary to drain the water.

On 81st street where they are widening it between Lewis and Harvard, they have the curbs up higher than the asphalt, and there's standing water at one corner going into Walnut Creek. Hopefully, this will be fixed when they finish, but I wouldn't be surprised if it still wasn't a problem.

I also noticed the spiffy new intersection at 81st and Yale is already all cracked up on northbound Yale just past 81st street, the pavement is cracked all the way across and it seems too soon for that.

Tulsa's streets are a definite weak spot for the city.

[sgrizzle]

The drains are rated for a certain capacity. I've noticed a lot of water this season that can't flow down the street fast enough, regardless of drain size.

Likely "just adding more drains" would cause more problems downstream.

[cannon_fodder]

I've also noted that the roadway flooding that occurs during heavy rains is gone within a couple hours of the rain stopping.  So all and all, it probably would not be worth the tens of millions needed to fix the problem.  I do hope they try to remedy it as they replace roads in the future/build new ones though.

[NellieBly]

Not worth the tens of millions? -- we need new streets and that is what it will cost. I just hope if the city ever does decide to do major street overhauls they do it right, drainage and all. Remember the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding who thought Windex cured everything? Asphalt is the City of Tulsa's Windex.

[Chris]

Maybe they'll even be smart enough to use some new technology like SemMaterials' polymer modified asphalts.

[Conan71]

One thing I'm seeing is trash washed into gutters.  Boards, plastic bottles, sticks, leaves, general debris.  There are drains along Hwy 75 by the refineries that look like beaver dams.

Everyone can help to an extent if they pick up their yard debris and sweep up clippings from their mowers out of the street when they are finished mowing.

Where are the effing city crews to clear clogged grates?  They sure as hell aren't out fixing the streets!

[sauerkraut]

I'd guess everything is just saturated and there's no place to water to run to. I'm just glad it's you guys with the rain and not us here in the mid-west. We have been having super weather near 90 degrees and dry. We had no rain for 2 weeks, just a quick shower on Tuesday. I'm lovein' it! Tulsa's Wet season's like this when they happen could also helped to fill up that Plymouth vault with water over the past 50 years. There's dry years and wet years. It looks like this year is a wet one for "T" Towne! The older streets like Lewis & Peoria seem to hold water, but then agine 129th street between 61st and 71st also holds water and the roadside fields are pools of water in that area. I guess you guys just have to deal with it the best you can. The rains can't last forever. We have nasty rainy seasons in the mid-west now & then to. This year is a rare dry one for us

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by NellieBly

Not worth the tens of millions? -- we need new streets and that is what it will cost. I just hope if the city ever does decide to do major street overhauls they do it right, drainage and all. Remember the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding who thought Windex cured everything? Asphalt is the City of Tulsa's Windex.

"Tulsa- Asphalt Capital Of The World"

[]

[sauerkraut]

Tulsa needs to do something about all the rain & flooding or it may just float away down the Arkansas River.[]

[TurismoDreamin]

It could be the result of debris that the rain carries into the drains which decreases it's efficiency.

And as for the person referring to the construction at 81st where they are widening between Harvard and Lewis, this standing water near the entrance of that neighborhood is only there because they laid down the base layer of asphalt. They will lay either one last layer or two more layers on top of this, thus the uneven boundaries of curb cement and asphalt as of right now, and thus the reason why standing water is allowed to sit on a lower level street instead of drain into an upper level sewage drain. Just give it time. That portion is downhill for quite a ways and where it levels off it has a drain so once again, be patient and when it's finished, then give judgement.

[restored2x]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

One thing I'm seeing is trash washed into gutters.  Boards, plastic bottles, sticks, leaves, general debris.  There are drains along Hwy 75 by the refineries that look like beaver dams.

Everyone can help to an extent if they pick up their yard debris and sweep up clippings from their mowers out of the street when they are finished mowing.

Where are the effing city crews to clear clogged grates?  They sure as hell aren't out fixing the streets!

Why, they're out mowing the grass - er... maybe not, or - fixing bridges - no, not that either... Oh, I know - they're downtown digging holes.

(The "holes" downtown must've nade the out-of-towners think we forgot where we buried the Belvedere and just kept digging holes until we finally found her.)

[Conan71]

^^  Those were all private contractors except for the Deputies providing security and the Tulsa County Expo workers who set up the bleachers.

What's white and sleeps six?

A city road crew truck.

[NellieBly]

Challenge: Come up with a funny punchline.

How many city workers does it take to fix a pothole?

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by NellieBly

Challenge: Come up with a funny punchline.

How many city workers does it take to fix a pothole?

can't be more than two. One to drive the truck one to fill the pot hole, and two to look busy.[]