The days of heavy traffic congestion on Harvard Avenue at 51st Street are history, as the intersection has undergone a massive widening project in conjunction with the I-44 widening project through the area. To get an idea of just how wide the new intersection is compared to the old one, the two piers on the I-44 bridge are in the area of where the old bridges' abutment walls stood. Add a span to each side and a pier, and this will give you an idea of where the old road was located (basically beginning just to the right of the through lane adjacent to the northbound left-turn lane). As a result of the overloaded intersection, half-mile traffic jams were common for most directions on a daily basis, especially the eastbound left-turn lane, and northbound and southbound traffic in general. The intersection received numerous improvements, including dual left-turn lanes for all but northbound traffic and extra lanes for through traffic, with each approach having at least five (total) lanes for through traffic. A right-turn lane also was added for northbound traffic. Harvard Avenue was widened from the Little Joe Creek bridge to north of I-44, with the south approach containing four through lanes for northbound traffic plus a single northbound left-turn lane and a right-turn lane. The fourth northbound lane is joined by a second lane immediately north of 51st Street that form a dual left-turn lane at I-44. Southbound traffic has a dual left-turn lane at 51st Street, while the three remaining lanes continue through the intersection and then narrow to two near Little Joe Creek. A new I-44 entrance/exit ramp was built near Marion Avenue to accommodate Harvard Avenue motorists. As a result, the former exit ramp intersection and signal on 51st Street near Delaware Avenue was removed, as was the old eastbound entrance ramp from Harvard Avenue. Photo taken November 11, 2011.
DEVELOPING TULSA: THE AUSTIN HELLWIG COLLECTION
