Tulsans can count on three things each August: It’s back-to-school season, it’s hot and road construction is everywhere.
Ongoing, dangerous heat is blanketing the metro area with triple-digit heat indexes and little relief overnight. High temperatures are expected to continue as students return to school over the next week — and head to a mandated 40 minutes of recess in elementary grades.
Kids should drink plenty of water before school and bring a water bottle to stay hydrated throughout the day. Temperatures will likely keep students indoors for afternoon recess in most districts.
“Our schools closely monitor weather conditions and adjust outdoor activities, including recess, as needed to ensure students’ safety,” said Broken Arrow spokeswoman Christina Dixon. “We encourage families to send students with a refillable water bottle and dress them in lightweight, weather-appropriate clothing.”
Longtime weather safety guidelines at Union Public Schools classify forecasted temps as “dangerous,” and students may be outside during cooler parts of the day but kept out of excessive heat, said spokesman Chris Payne.
Teachers have a variety of ways to hold recess indoors, like games or “something to get the wiggles out,” according to Theresa Kiger, Union’s executive director of elementary education.
Weathering road construction, buses without AC in Jenks
Not all school buses have air conditioning in several districts.
Jenks Public Schools started classes last Thursday and is currently outfitting 20 buses with air conditioning, but they won’t be finished for another couple of months.
“We already have 10 route buses with A/C and all of our SPED buses have A/C,” said Jenks spokesman Rob Loeber. “For the buses that don’t, the windows are kept down throughout the ride to keep air flowing through the bus as much as possible.”
Ongoing road construction projects mean just getting the kids to and from school could present another hurdle. Orange cones move for no one, except maybe Tulsa City Councilor Phil Lakin and Jenks Public Schools.
Construction on 91st Street from Harvard to Yale posed a real concern for Jenks students and families ahead of classes kicking off Aug. 13. City and school officials pushed hard to partially open road travel just in time for drop off at Jenks East Elementary and Intermediate, but the area will remain a “very active construction zone,” according to Lakin.
“Expect workers, some flagging (not during drop-off and pickup times), etc. Be cautious, drive slowly, exercise a ton of patience, etc,” Lakin wrote on Nextdoor. “It will not be easy for a few weeks, but at least we will have restored a lane in each direction, which is a big achievement given how much rain we had in May and June.”
Jenks families are encouraged to exercise a “little extra patience and kindness on the road,” said spokesman Loeber.
What to expect on the roads
Expect the return of typical early morning traffic as class starts Wednesday for Tulsa and Bixby Public School districts. Monday marks the first full week of classes for Union, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso and several other public districts.
Pay attention to school zones too, especially when near construction. In most school zones, speed reduces to 25 miles per hour when active.
Speeding in a school zone or passing a school bus when signals are activated may result in a mandatory court appearance. Passing in a school zone may land you a $185 fine in Tulsa. Using a cellphone while driving in school or construction zones may land you a $100 fine, including hands-free systems.
Some school zone flashers have shifted in recent years, according to city spokesman Carson Colvin.
- Near Edison Preparatory School: The school zone flasher west of 33rd W. Avenue was moved approximately 25-30 feet due to an ODOT project this year.
- Near College Bound Academy: After a knockdown near 26th Street and 101st E. Avenue, the new school flasher was installed a few feet south.
- Near Kendall-Whittier Elementary: A new school zone is currently being added on Lewis for Kendall-Whittier Elementary in coordination with Tulsa Public Schools.
Several other city and state construction projects are ongoing, creating possible slowdowns as remaining school districts open for class. Check the city’s traffic flow map for construction, crash and road closure updates.
- Harvard, 21st to 31st: Near Lanier Elementary and the TPS enrollment center, two-way traffic is being diverted to the east side of Harvard while the city works on the second-half of its $2.7 million street widening project. Construction is scheduled for completion in early 2027. Construction on 15th from Lewis to Harvard is also ongoing and diverting two-way traffic to the north side of 15th.
- Gilcrease Museum Road: Near Central Middle and High Schools, Gilcrease Museum Road is closed from West Edison Street to West Pine Street. Construction is scheduled for completion in late 2026.
- Pine, Mingo to Garnett: A street and bridge rehabilitation project is set to start in August on East Pine from Mingo to Garnett. The $2.6 million project is scheduled for completion in spring 2027.
- 31st, Yale to Sheridan: Near CAP Tulsa’s headquarters and Augustine Christian Academy, this street and bridge rehabilitation project will begin in August. The $2 million project is scheduled for completion in spring 2027.
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