Spring Break Crowds Clog Riverside Drive on Way to Gathering Place

Tulsa families made the most of a stretch of sunny weather this week, packing Gathering Place on Wednesday and Thursday during spring break. The good conditions were expected to give way to rain Thursday night.

Aerial footage from Osage Sky News 6 showed northbound lanes of Riverside Drive filled bumper to bumper with drivers headed to the park. Many were eager to see its newly opened Discovery Lab.

After finding parking, visitors spread out across the QuikTrip lawn, the playground equipment and the park's sandy area, described as Tulsa's own version of a beach.

Claire Fernandez, a young visitor, said what she liked most was being outdoors with her friends. "I like playing outside and I like spending time with my friends," she said.

Lisa Carter brought her grandson and another family to the park. She said her group arrived early and avoided the worst of the delays, though others who showed up later told her they had a long wait. Carter said her family also visited for spring break last year and she believes the park has only become more popular since then.

The group packed their own lunch, which kept the outing free. "They have just had a blast. They've just been running, playing, sit down and have a snack, go back out and go play again. No money - we didn't spend any money," Carter said.

Craig Watson, who grew up in Tulsa and is in town to see his parents, made the drive from Dallas with his daughter. He said the traffic on Riverside was worth the wait. Watson said he had not lived in or visited Tulsa in 20 years. "Just really neat to see how much the city's grown," he said, adding that many good things are happening and that Gathering Place is "incredible."

To ease access during the break, Gathering Place, Tulsa Transit and the downtown campus of TCC have partnered on a free shuttle. It runs every 20 minutes until 9 p.m. each night through Sunday.

Beginning next week, the shuttle will operate on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. That schedule will continue for the rest of the year.