During the time for comments at Monday’s Board of County Commissioners meeting, District #1 Commissioner Newt Stephens shared that the Turner Turnpike project, which will expand the Interstate from four lanes to six near the Creek Turnpike entrance going into Tulsa from Highway 66, had begun that day.
He said that on Monday the 11 and and Tuesday the 12 traffic may be narrowed to less than four lanes on the four mile stretch, but that the bulk of the work will be completed at nighttime. The speed limit will be temporarily reduced to 60 miles per hour.
District #2 Commissioner Leon Warner stated that the contractors have been working for months to get this ready.
Warner and First Deputy Roger Smith, who sat in for an absent Lane Whitehouse, voted to extend the County’s emergency resolution by one more week, after a discussion of updated COVID-19 statistics and the ongoing vaccine rollout.
Emergency Management Director Covery Murray reported that Creek County has had 4,707 active cases since March, 72 deaths, and 139 new cases as of January 10. Warner confirmed these numbers, adding that on Sunday the 10 Creek County had 656 total active cases, which was up 30% from 488 on Thursday, January 7.
Murray said that the County is now in Phase 2 of the vaccinations, which encompasses those aged 65 and older. Vaccines for this group will be administered at First Christian Church at 220 East Lee. Some were able to be given out last week by the health department.
In order to receive the vaccine, people should register online and wait to be notified of the date, time, and location of the appointment by the Creek County Health Department.
Warner broached the issue of some elderly not having access to a computer or internet to register online, and said “this doesn’t sound like a very good plan.” There was a discussion over how the County could help those individuals make their appointments, and Warner said he would speak with County health officials about it.
Phase 3 includes teachers, elected officials, and people with specific health issues. Murray said he would provide the Board with a comprehensive list of who is in this group, which health issues are mentioned, and when they may start receiving vaccines.
