Crowds Show Up To Learn About The Latest Tulsa Riverside Airport Expansion Plan

People with questions and input over the proposed improvements to Tulsa Riverside Airport had one more chance to talk about the plan with airport staff.

The improvements are centered around plans to extend the runway at the airport by more than 1,200 feet.

Extending the runway has been a focus of other meetings in past months. Previous proposals considered extending 91st Street into the South Lakes Golf Course, but that idea is now off the table.

Chris Karlovich is the Assistant Golf Professional at the course. He said the staff is glad to see that proposal in the bunker.

“It’s really tough on the game whenever you try to start taking courses out to either build houses or airports or whatever it may be,” said Karlovich.

The greens are filling up at the course once again as temperatures start to become more favorable. Karlovich said 400 rounds of golf were played just last weekend.

The latest proposal for expanding the runway is to extend the north and south sides by several hundred feet. While 91st Stret and the golf course will not see any disruptions, a realignment will be required for 81st Street.

“My question was, is there going to be a plan for mitigating the flood as they expand the road to the north and to the east,” said Tammy Cook, who has lived near the airport for nearly 30 years.

Cook, like other people who live nearby, has been following the proposals and attending the public meetings.

She is hopeful her concerns over potential flooding will be addressed before any plans are finalized.

Airport staff said these projects will be completed as federal funding becomes available. They are hopeful the 81st Street realignment can be finished within the next 10 years.