TULSA, Okla. — Soon enough, Tulsa will be home to the newest IKEA. While customers are excited about the new store, some are concerned about traffic.
2 News Oklahoma listened to Alesa Miller recall living in Kansas City when its IKEA opened.
“I was in Kansas City when they opened up IKEA there and it was backed up for a week,” Miller said, “With traffic people doing the hand signals, getting people there, into there, and that was not a high-traffic area like Tulsa Hills.”
Tulsa Hills’ traffic is already heavy, and IKEA is only expected to increase the load.
CITY PLANS >>> The council passed an economic incentive package
“People are excited about IKEA coming, but they are concerned about traffic,” Councilor Anthony Archie said.
Archie called a public meeting for the evening of March 24 where he, neighbors, and some traffic engineers hashed out their concerns.
A new diverging diamond is slated for the area near 81st and the Highway 75 bridge. Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and wrap by the end of 2028.
“What we’ve learned from Memorial and the Creek Turnpike, is it is transformative in relieving traffic,” Archie said.
The traffic improvements won’t be ready in time for IKEA’s opening, so it might be a repeat of Kansas City. Miller offered some tips.
“Be patient. Take your time. Be kind to others, and just, it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be so enjoy yourself,” Miller said.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- 2 News Oklahoma on your schedule | Download on your TV, watch for free. How to watch on your streaming device
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
