Traffic congestion became a major prolem on 71st Street at Lewis Avenue following the opening of the 71st Street Arkansas River bridge in December 1983. Fortunately, by that time, Tulsa voters had approved a bond issue that provided money to widen 71st Street to six lanes from the bridge to Atlanta Avenue (east of Lewis Avenue), including adding left- and right-turn lanes on 71st Street at Lewis Avenue. The project was completed in late 1985. Traffic on 71st Street no longer congests at Lewis Avenue, although congestion does occur on the eastbound lanes of 71st Street east of Lewis Avenue. The section from Lewis to Yale avenues is funded, but no construction timetable has been announced. The new traffic signal includes right-turn arrows for Lewis Avenue to correspond with 71st Street's new left-turn signals. The former Champlin and 7-Eleven gas stations now are Circle K, and it is unusual to have two at the same intersection. One of them likely will close before it's all over with. The Sheraton Kensington Hotel and adjacent properties have been completed. Photo taken April 1987.
