Full slate of summer road construction Published June 12, 2009 By Howdy Stout Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Gate construction and road repairs will slow traffic around Tinker this summer as construction begins on a number of projects. The northbound lane of Air Depot Road is already closed as crews revamp the intersection with Arnold Avenue while the Liberator Gate will close later this month for installation of a "final denial" barrier system, scheduled to be installed at all the gates around base. Work will also begin later this summer on resurfacing Munitions Road. "It's not going to be closed, but it will be reduced to one lane during working hours," said Mark Nabywaniec, project manager with the 72nd Civil Engineering Directorate. Munitions Road, which runs the southern perimeter of Tinker, will have its upper surface removed and a fabric reinforcement installed before resurfacing with new asphalt. "It'll make the road seem brand new," Mr. Nabywaniec said, adding that the work will extend the life of the road by another 10 or 15 years. At the moment, he said, "it's one step away from being (completely) rebuilt." Work is expected to begin on Munitions Road in the next 30 days and last for 150 days. Work will also involve improving the drainage around the roadway. Liberator Gate will close completely later this month for installation of a cable barrier system to stop unauthorized vehicles from entering the base. In the event of a problem, gate guards can activate an extended three-cable barrier system that normally lies flush with the road's surface. The cables are designed to catch vehicles, similar in form and function to the cable arresting system on an aircraft carrier used to stop landing jets. "It uses that technology," Mr. Nabywaniec said. The barrier system will be installed at five gates around base this year, starting with Liberator Gate later this month. Eventually, all gates at base will be fitted with the system. The entire project (five gates) is expected to take 18 months, with one gate being fitted at a time. "Each closing will be for 105 days approximately, except for Hope Gate which will remain open during construction" he said. Outgoing traffic to the gates will be closed and redirected via the nearest intersection. Inbound traffic will need to use an alternative gate. The CEC office will provide advance warning of the closures, but Mr. Nabywaniec advised drivers to still "pay attention to the signs" when driving around base. Work will also begin later this summer on the intersection of Alert Road and Mercury. The asphalt intersection will be replaced with concrete, which is longer lasting and better able to handle heavy truck traffic. "It costs a little more to do it, but it pays for itself," Mr. Nabywaniec said. "Asphalt lasts 12 years. Concrete will last 30-plus years." Although the intersection will not be completely closed during construction work, traffic may experience delays as construction crews work on one quarter of the intersection at a time. Similar work on the intersection of Arnold and Air Depot Road is concluding this week. The duration of all the construction projects, however, will depend on the weather. Significant rain will slow or delay work. For more information on road closures, maps and notices are available online on Tinker's internal home page or the Take Note section of the Tinker Take Off.