By April Hill
The City of Tulsa says a $90,000 grant will pay for the installation of a musical road along a stretch of Tulsa’s Mother Road.
The road will be built along Southwest Boulevard Bridge and will be the first one in the state.
The musical road is engineered to produce specific musical notes when vehicles pass over it at a certain speed.
This effect is achieved by creating grooves or rumble strips into the pavement at varying intervals.
When a vehicle’s tires hit these grooves, vibrations generate sound waves that translate into a recognizable melody inside the car.
Organizers say they are looking at copyright permission for a song from an Oklahoma musician.
The road is expected to be installed in Marsh of 2026
Musical roads are installed all around the world, including along other stretches of Route 66.
“This is going to be a gamechanger for Tulsa!” said District 6 City Councilor Christian Bengel, Vice Chair of the Tulsa Route 66 Commission. “Not only will this be the first musical road in the state, but it will celebrate an Oklahoma artist and put the city on the map with other worldwide attractions in time for the Centennial!”
The project is part of official Route 66 Centennial celebrations and initiatives recognized by the Federal Route 66 Centennial Commission.
