4-18-2023 9:26pm

Broken Arrow provides first glimpse of traffic, security plan for LIV Golf event

John Dobberstein Editor

By John Dobberstein, Editor

The Broken Arrow City Council approved a services agreement Tuesday with LIV Golf to provide traffic and safety services when the tournament visits the city next month.

Broken Arrow Police Chief Brandon Berryhill said LIV requested assistance for street closures, police and fire services that will total more than $126,000 – but LIV will be reimbursing the city after the event May 12-14 at Cedar Ridge Country Club.

The city will be invoicing LIV Golf for $98,000 for police services, $10,900 for fire/EMS, $11,250 for Streets and Stormwater services for barricades, street closings and sign rental, and $6,000 for permits.

City Councilors also asked BAPD about plans for traffic management in the neighborhood, as they’ve been fielding concerns from residents in subdivisions adjacent to the course who don’t want their streets overrun with vehicles and fans. Some residents were concerned enough to consider hiring off-duty police officers.

Berryhill said the police department did a thorough walkthrough with tournament organizers recently, and Broken Arrow Police Sgt. Josh McCoy has spoken to other cities that have hosted LIV Golf events to get insight into the typical flow of traffic and fans. Berryhill said he doesn’t anticipate problems with wayward fans cutting through neighborhoods.

“The organizers have security checkpoints to get into the event and everybody will have an armband. So anybody walking around that does not have an armband will be thrown off the course. If they don’t have a ticket, they’re not going to be out there,” he said.

McCoy said some police will staff road closures and other officers will handle parking issues in nearby neighborhoods that aren’t gated, McCoy said. According to McCoy, LIV currently plans to post no-parking signs or have a tour liaison in the neighborhoods adjacent to CRCC to ensure residents coming and going have access to their homes.

“We plan to have officers roaming through those neighborhoods so we can expedite our response to calls for service and deal with any parking issues that we come across,” McCoy said.

Berryhill said his department had to deal with similar issues when the high school parking lot was being reconstructed and no-parking signs were put in some of the adjacent neighborhoods. “We can work with the Streets Department if we want to do that for these particular neighborhoods,” he said.

As for traffic management, McCoy said police plan to block Garnett Road just south of New Orleans Street and just north of Cedar Ridge Road. Police will also have signs on Florence Street at Garnett Road warning motorists of limited access in the area. They are also working with Cedar Ridge Senior Living on ensuring proper access that weekend.

Although final details haven’t been publicly announced, McCoy said his understanding is that fans will be shuttled to CRCC from Tulsa Community College’s Southeast Campus and Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. Woodlake Church in Bixby, which is located along Garnett between New Orleans and Florence, plans to establish a ride-share service.

Lynn Palmer, who lives in Cedar Ridge Estates that adjoins CRCC, attended the City Council meeting Tuesday as did some representatives of other housing associations in that area. She said the neighborhoods were about fans cutting through and parking issues on the narrow roads making it tough for emergency vehicles to get through.

“I’m relieved to hear they're going to close that portion of Garnet off. I think that's helpful. I love this, I think it's such a boon for Broken Arrow and the whole community. But I’d just like us to stay a little bit more proactive on how the residents feel and about how their property is treated during this period.”