City of Tulsa removing bike lanes on Pine from M.L.K to Yale

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Bike lanes in one part of north Tulsa are being removed.

Four miles of pine were narrowed to 2 lanes but that’s all changing now.

Businesses in the area said the stretch from on pine from M.L.K. was just too congested making it hard for their customers to get to their parking lots.

Some business owners said just feels like a waste of tax dollars.

"You go and do one thing that’s money then you come back and change it that’s more money," said business owner Patricia Kemp.

Kemp works at the NU Look Style Shop and says taking Pine Street down to one lane in both directions only caused problems for the area.

“I just feel a need for a bike lane because of the traffic flow this street," Kemp said.

One of those problematic area right in front of Carver Middle School.

"We were not seeing a decline the interest in returning to four lane we had a couple of school items also with the train crossings so we kind of had a perfect storm and that pretty much solidified that we’re going to have to do something different," said Paul Zachary, director of engineer services for the City of Tulsa.

Michael Manning owns Mack’s Wings on Pine and Lansing and says he wishes those dollars could have went to something else

“I certainly would wish that if they come up with any other bright ideas that they would make a conscious effort to poll the community," Manning said.

Kemp says if the city plans to do anything on the roads, she wants to see improvements.

“Especially in the northside community. Our streets are terrible they will fix one lane the other lane is bumpy or either its got chug holes," she said.

But the city says they are listening to the community and learning from their mistakes

“We will take our bruises on pine but we believe its always best to try those things out first," Zachary said. "If it doesn’t work, we will try something else”

The City of Tulsa said the majority of Pine from M.L.L. to Harvard is already back to four lanes, or is in the process.