Full Notification

by Ryan Hansen
55th Wing Public Affairs

4/20/2015 - OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- The Kenney and Bellevue Gates are scheduled to be closed at separate times over the next few months for repairs and upgrades.

The Kenney Gate, commonly referred to as the Flag Gate, is slated to close from May 4 to June 12, while the Bellevue Gate is slated to close from June 22 to July 27.

"We certainly appreciate everyone's patience as we work through these upgrades to both of our gates," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ted Breuker, 55th Security Forces Squadron commander.

To alleviate some of the inconvenience while the Kenney Gate is closed, the Bellevue Gate will remain open 24/7 during this time.

"Please note that the Bellevue Gate cannot handle as much traffic as the Kenney Gate, so we're encouraging people to use the STRATCOM Gate as much as possible to avoid delays," Breuker said.

This closure concludes the $340,000 upgrade to the Kenney Gate, which began last fall. Among other items, renovations include new overhead protection for security forces members, repairs to the roads and sidewalks and demolition of the old visitor control center.

"After years of being out in the elements, this is going to be a great addition for our security forces members," said U.S. Air Force Col. Charles Kuhl, 55th Mission Support Group commander.

The Bellevue Gate will be receiving upgrades to increase security measures. These upgrades were not completed during the previous closure because the weather was too cold for concrete work.

"We will continue to upgrade security features as funding becomes available, but this is a good step for the Bellevue Gate," Kuhl said.

Once the upgrades are complete, the Kenney Gate will return to full 24/7 operations while the Bellevue Gate will continue to be open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays.