Traffic flow and ease of access across the installation is about to change for many commuters around the Fort Gordon area.
Access Control Point 6, or Gate 6, is tentatively scheduled to open in mid-October, according to Fort Gordon Garrison Commander Col. Shaw Pick.
Located about one mile from Gate 2, the new Gate 6 was designed in a way to better support the infrastructure of Fort Gordon as it continues to grow. Boasting six inbound lanes and a commercial gate that can “que up 13 tractor trailers without blocking a single lane of traffic,” the estimated $36 million project triples the capacity of any other gate on the installation.
“It’s an enormous expansion in capacity as well as the way it was constructed,” Pick said. “We are really excited about the way this was designed both in terms of depth it gives us off of Gordon Highway, the capacity of the gate, as well as where it’s positioned on the northwest corner of the post.”
Routes from Gate 6 to main areas of installation will feature more roundabouts and fewer traffic lights, so traffic capacity and flow will be more efficient, Pick said.
In addition to becoming the new gate for commercial traffic, Gate 6 will also become the site of the new Visitor Control Center. The VCC at Gate 1 will permanently close, along with Gates 2 and 3. There may be an occasional exception with Gate 2, Pick said, during large events (such as the annual Independence Day celebration) at which time Gate 2 may be used for outbound traffic only. Gates 1 and 5 will remain open.
“[Gate 6] is the future main gate of Fort Gordon,” Pick said. “This will change the way people come on to the installation – for the better.”
Speaking to the growth and significant mission of Fort Gordon, Pick said Gate 6 is just one of example of how the Army and surrounding communities view Fort Gordon.
“I think things like this … are proof-positive that the aspirations of the nation’s cyber capabilities coming to Fort Gordon are real; not only are they real, but just in the last year, because of the number of projects that kicked off simultaneously, we’ve gone from talking about the campus in terms of ‘what is to come,’ to talking about the campus in terms of ‘it’s being built today,’” Pick said. “We’re very fortunate at Fort Gordon to be the beneficiaries of about a $1.6 billion program of construction over 10 years. I don’t know of another military installation in the U.S. that has that kind of growth program.”
Although exact hours of operation have not been solidified yet, Gate 6 will be manned for maximum hours of access since it will essentially be the new “main” access control point.
A ribbon cutting ceremony for Gate 6 will be announced through media channels once an opening date is confirmed.
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