BIXBY, Okla. — Legislation authorizing a second bridge across the Arkansas River now waits for Governor Stitt’s signature.
House Bill 2123 aims to alleviate traffic as development explodes south of the river in Bixby. Currently, getting to and from South Bixby isn't easy for drivers.
"Coming from Tulsa, you really have one way in, and one way out. That's Memorial Drive," Bixby Mayor Brad Girard said.
WATCH: 'We've got to keep this momentum': Bixby bridge bill heads to Governor
Rep. Mark Tedford helped author the bill, which expands previous location restrictions and opens the door to more funding opportunities.
"Anybody that's tried to commute into Tulsa in the morning from Bixby will see how bad the traffic can get. Or going back home," Tedford said.
"Really the purpose of the legislation was to start the discussion again," Tedford said.
While the bill is a step forward, Girard noted that residents should not expect things to happen fast.
"It does not set a date for construction. It is not saying we are going to build a bridge now. It says we're going to get the process started," Girard said.
There have been rumors over the years about where the next bridge could go, with some thinking it would be over Mingo, others suggesting 131st, and the latest being near Kimberly Clark Road. Girard tells 2 News the bridge could now go anywhere along the Arkansas River.
"The original bill essentially said it had to be between Memorial Drive and Delaware," Girard said.
"The way the bill is written now, the new bill, is we can start looking to the east. Mingo, Garnett, 129th, 145th, 161st East Avenue," Girard said.
Girard says it will likely be a toll bridge built through the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Tedford says that going through the OTA as opposed to ODOT speeds up the process, and surveying could start well before the end of the year.
"We've met with our partners at the federal level, and we're working hard with our partners at the state level to get adequate funding, and try to reduce the burden on the local taxpayers," Girard said.
For drivers like south Tulsa resident Shawn Williams, the bridge would be a burden worth the cost.
"We don't really have a good network to get through this side of town like we do on 71st," Williams said.
"It would also just help to connect, you know, we've got this out here building up, we've got Riverside building up. I think it would just help to tie those together a little better," Williams said.
While there isn't a timeline for when construction could happen, local leaders are focused on moving forward.
"Where we are right now is we've got to pick this ball up and run with it, and we've got to keep this momentum going,"
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