News

Offutt will see increase in traffic following gate closure

  • Published
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs

On-base traffic is expected to increase following the scheduled November 4 closure of the Meyer Gate currently used by approximately 600 construction workers to access the U.S. STRATCOM Building 1000 construction project.

Construction workers will begin accessing the base from the main gates beginning Monday, November 6 and will enter the STRATCOM project area from Stratton Avenue and SAC Boulevard near the O’Malley Inn.

To help facilitate additional traffic from the STRATCOM Gate, a reversible center lane will be added on SAC Boulevard between Butler Boulevard and Stratton Avenue. It will be used as a north bound lane in the morning and a south bound lane at the end of the duty day.

Temporary directional signals for the reversible lane will be installed until a permanent system is in place and security forces members will direct traffic during peak traffic hours or as needed.

Additionally, Kiewit-Phelps employees will stagger their work schedules to help alleviate congestion at the gates.

Lt. Col. Vance Goodfellow, 55th Mission Support Group deputy commander, said every effort has been made to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“The wing and the contractors have been working hand-in-hand to make sure we have a comprehensive plan that avoids delays wherever possible,” he said.

Goodfellow said the east side of the Base Exchange parking lot will also be used as a designated parking area for contractors where they can park and use a shuttle bus to and from the construction area.

Mark Bridges, 55th Civil Engineer Squadron project engineer, said the reversible lane on SAC Boulevard will eventually be striped Oct. 28 and a permanent high-tech lane control system will be installed when the project is finished.

He said base employees and service members may want to add a little more time to their work commute for the first couple of weeks.

“Be patient and exercise caution because it’s a new traffic pattern,” Bridges said.

Additionally, he advised that commercial delivery vehicles may experience delays at the vehicle search area as some contractor vehicles will require vehicle inspections before entering the base.