| Updated: 10/01/2012 5:41 pm |
Published: 10/01/2012 4:34 pm
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Midtown Tulsa --
Finding a parking spot at the Tulsa State Fair this year can be a challenge.
It can also be expensive. It’s not unusual to see cars lined up bumper to bumper along nearby neighborhood streets. It can be a costly mistake if you park on the wrong side of the road or in someone’s yard.
Blake Boswell has lived in a nearby neighborhood for only a few months, but he’s already seen plenty of traffic issues.
"Come fair season, there is a lot more traffic and it's kind of hard getting home from work and there's congestion on the street,” says Boswell.
Beyond the added traffic, his yard is also suffering.
"After the hot season I decided to plant all new grass, and I have had people just walking across the grass and cutting through the yard and so my grass is kind of dying a little bit,” he says.
Tulsa Police are closely watching. You can park in the neighborhoods as long as you’re parked on the proper side. The west end of the fairgrounds is all paid parking while the east end has some free and some paid spots. Fair-goers can also take the shuttle.
We caught up with the Phipps family as they headed out to the midway.
This is the first time their three children have been to the fair, but the added cost of parking came as a shock.
"We didn't want to walk and so we decided to pay the $15 dollars and park by the hotel,” says Janet Phipps.
"It's extremely frustrating but in order to keep the peace, I paid the $15 and we're here now so that's okay I guess,” says her husband, Paul Phipps.
As the family discusses which rides to hit up first, Paul tries not to think about his thinning wallet.
"I just wasn't prepared to spend $15 on parking before we even got in the door,” says Paul.
In the past, many homeowners have been charging fair-goers to park on their lawns but not this year. Tulsa Police will issue a fine if you’re caught parking on the grass.
There are three convenient locations if you chose to ride the fair shuttle. Nathan Hale High School, The Tulsa Public Schools Education Service Center and Promenade Mall are all pick up locations.
