JENKS, Okla. — As the Tulsa Premium Outlets prepare to open this summer, the Jenks community is getting ready to welcome a flood of new shoppers.
The Jenks Police Department and local businesses are gearing up for the big day.
"We're getting a lot more outside visitors visiting Jenks," said Officer Joshua Semke, Master Patrol Officer with the Jenks Police Department. "So, officers are stepping up patrols, making shoppers feel safer, you know, traffic control and all that."
Take a look at when ground broke on the project:
The outlet mall features a one-way-in, one-way-out design with a traffic circle intended to keep vehicles moving efficiently.
"River District Drive begins at Elm, heads east towards the traffic circle, and that is a one-way," Semke said. "So River District Drive goes towards the traffic circle and is a one way to get into the mall, and then one way to get out of the mall."
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Officer Semke believes this layout will help manage traffic flow and ensure that shoppers can easily access the new retail destination.
"Once you see a large expansion with shops and an outlet mall and any type of sales revenue coming in, you're going to need some officers and you're going to need more community safety," he explained.
Officer Shull said the department is prepared to grow if the influx of traffic were to cause a safety issue.
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"It is on the city and of our department to make sure that the citizens of Jenks are safe, they feel safe," he said. "If we need to hire more officers for them to feel that way, then we will do so."
Local business owners, like Trevor Shull of The Coffee Grinder, are excited about the potential for growth. "I'm excited. I really think it's going to bring people to Jenks," Shull said. "Just growth is a wonderful thing. I'm hoping to see a lot of local people rent out spaces in the outlet malls and see more of the mom-and-pop and local businesses here."
Tulsa Premium Outlets are slated to open in August.
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