Green Country’s first snowfall of the season brought with it a myriad of problems. At approximately 11 a.m., multiple accidents on the Turner Turnpike near the Sapulpa exit resulted in turnpike traffic being rerouted through downtown Sapulpa. One accident, involving a semi that downed an OG&E power line, interrupted service to 2,220 customers.
The Tulsa Turner westbound gate was closed, the eastbound Kellyville exit was closed, and the turnpike was closed both eastbound and westbound at the 215-mile marker. Traffic was backed up for hours with truckers at a standstill into the evening.
The closures resulted in heavy traffic on Highway 97 (Main Street) and Highway 66 (Dewey Avenue). A semi traveling westbound on Dewey had its tractor brakes lock up next to American Heritage Bank, resulting in a backlog of cars and semis at Main and Dewey. Sapulpa Police had the intersection of Main and Dewey blocked off while workers tried to free up the semi’s brakes.
Much of the north and west side of Sapulpa was without power for several hours. The power line was entangled in the truck and OG&E had to bring special equipment from Shawnee, Oklahoma to remove the damaged line and effect a repair. Several traffic lights in Sapulpa were out due to the damaged line. Traffic was still being diverted at 7 p.m. this evening.
