The 71st Street and Memorial Drive intersection has etched itself into the Tulsa history book by becoming the first intersection to go from a restricted left-turn system to a yield system and then back to a restricted. The restricted system, which once existed at every major intersection in Tulsa that had left-turn lanes and signals (excluding expressways), last was seen in Tulsa in 1987 at 61st Street and Yale Avenue. The "yield" system debuted at 11th Street and Harvard Avenue in 1980 and then replaced the restricted system across Tulsa during the 1980s. The system was returned in February 1989 because of accidents and traffic volumes. The intersection has received one improvement to improve traffic flow, as the westbound left-turn lane was converted into a dual left-turn lane in late 1989. Traffic often backed up in the single left-turn lane, and the dual should eliminate this problem. Photo taken April 1989.
DEVELOPING TULSA: THE AUSTIN HELLWIG COLLECTION
