A recent uptick in copper wiring theft is delaying progress in re-illuminating dark Tulsa highways.
The estimated cost of fixing all the damage caused by thieves is $2.9 million after a rash of thefts over the past several months.
"[I-]244. I-44. We had 169, 51st to 61st that after we got the lights back on, they came in and stole all the copper that was left, which was 51st to 61st. So then we had to go back and repull that right around Christmastime," said Streets and Stormwater Director Terry Ball. "We found out [Tuesday] they'd hit I-244, basically the IDL to Delaware, that first section of LED lighting."
Theft-deterring doors are being used to protect wiring with some success.
"We see lots of marks on where they've been hitting them with whatever they've been hitting them with, and they have not gotten into them, so at least that part's working so far," Ball said. "Problem is we have so many light fixtures — the entire system's massive — we don't have enough money to put doors on every single pole."
When city councilors first asked about city highway lights last February, the estimated cost of getting all the lights back on was $1.5 million.
The lights are on track to be fully repaired by mid-2018 with two crews tackling the list of needed repairs. Ball said they could add a third work crew to speed things up.
"That would add probably about another $600,000 to that estimate if we do that, and we'd probably save about six months off that schedule," Ball said. "But right now, we're short $300,000 just getting to the $2.9 million to do the work that we have now."
Workers are currently tackling sections of I-44 before moving to I-244. Work is finished along the Gilcrease Expressway, Highway 11, L.L. Tisdale Parkway and U.S. 169 from I-244 to Memorial Drive.
