While Midtown Tulsa has seen a welcome surge in infrastructure improvements, raising hopes for enhanced pedestrian safety, the protracted timeline of these projects and their potential inadequacy to address the core issues are causing growing concern among local business owners. News On 6’s February 5, 2025 report highlighted this very tension, showcasing the anxieties surrounding the 18th and Boston intersection.
“Improve Our Tulsa” and other community representatives have championed the recent wave of development, and rightly so.
These projects often bring much-needed upgrades to aging infrastructure, contributing to the overall revitalization of the area. For example, repaving roads and updating sewer systems, while not directly impacting pedestrian safety, creates a foundation for future improvements. However, this revitalization effort risks being undermined if the specific needs of pedestrians are not adequately addressed.
Business owners, who witness firsthand the daily struggles of customers travelling the area, worry that the current focus on general infrastructure may overlook crucial safety elements. A counterpoint often raised is that these large-scale projects require significant planning and execution time, and that immediate, smaller-scale fixes are impractical. Yet, the extended duration of these projects, coupled with the lack of concrete plans for pedestrian-specific improvements, fuels apprehension.
Business owners like those interviewed by News On 6 express concern that while the city focuses on larger projects, the more immediate and pressing dangers to pedestrians, such as inadequate lighting and poorly marked crosswalks, remain unaddressed. Ultimately, the success of Midtown’s revitalization hinges not only on the scale of infrastructure improvements, but also on their ability to create a truly safe and walkable environment for all.
Initial factors affecting public safety
Local businesses report that the intersection is dangerous for pedestrians due to poor visibility of crosswalk markings, lack of streetlights, and speeding drivers. A recent incident where two people were hit by a car has heightened their concerns. They emphasize that customers and employees often have to cross the street, particularly after dark, and that the current conditions make it a risky endeavor.
Business Ownership and contributing perspectives
Alberto Gallegos, a manager at Tacos x Mezcal, and Mark Gorman, who owns Tails and Ales, are quoted expressing their worries. They describe frequent near misses and the difficulty of encouraging customers to visit their establishments when crossing the street is so perilous.
The community voice signaling for pedestrian participation
The businesses are asking the city for improvements to the intersection, including better lighting, clearly marked crosswalks, and potentially a flashing pedestrian crosswalk sign. They also suggest temporary solutions like repainting the crosswalks or adding temporary lighting while more permanent upgrades are planned.
District Leadership and The Tulsa City Council Response
Councilor Laura Bellis acknowledges the problem and states she has advocated for improvements in the area. She recognizes the businesses’ concerns and hopes for a short-term solution while the city addresses its list of capital improvement projects.
The City of Tulsa says crews are currently working on 17th Street and will move to 18th Street afterward. The 18th Street project will include intersection upgrades like new signage and crosswalks, as well as road improvements.
Neighborhood Call to Action
This news story about the dangerous intersection at 18th and Boston in Tulsa serves as a microcosm of the larger challenges cities face in balancing urban growth with crucial infrastructure improvements, and ultimately aims to engage the public in this ongoing process. While the immediate focus is on the specific concerns of local businesses regarding pedestrian safety and the city’s planned response, the broader implication encourages citizen awareness and participation in Tulsa’s Capital Improvement Projects.
This particular narrative highlights the precarious situation pedestrians face at this intersection, lacking adequate crosswalk markings, lighting, and facing speeding traffic, thus underscoring the urgent need for solutions.
The voices of business owners like Alberto Gallegos and Mark Gorman amplify the urgency, detailing near misses and the negative impact on their establishments.
The city’s response, through Councilor Laura Bellis’s statement and the announcement of planned upgrades, acknowledges the problem and offers a promise of future action. However, the story also subtly raises a counterpoint: the city’s project timeline.
The fact that work is currently underway on 17th Street, with 18th Street slated for later attention, suggests a potential delay, raising the question of how long businesses and pedestrians must endure the current hazardous conditions.
This inherent tension between immediate needs and long-term planning underscores the difficulty cities face in addressing infrastructure issues promptly. Therefore, by presenting both the concerns and the city’s response, this article not only informs the public about a specific safety issue but also encourages them to become active participants in the city’s development by clicking the provided link and learning more about Tulsa’s Capital Improvement Projects.
Laura Bellis, who represents District Four on the Tulsa City Council, sent News On 6 this statement:
“I’ve definitely advocated for work to improve the infrastructure and safe walkability of that area and think the investment and advocacy of local business is making that area vibrant. I’ll continue supporting them however I can. I wish we could expedite these needed projects, and hope we can find a short term solution to keep people safe, knowing the city has a long list of critical capital improvement projects that all hold great priority.”
PACE TULSA 