Tinker AFB

[bombermwc]

Why?

Because anyone going from 240 to MWC, uses this heavily. Remember the next currently available exits are at Anderson or Air Depot. I dont think it's illogical to not force through traffic to always go 2 extra miles out of the way to wrap around Tinker. If the state at least creates an Post Rd ramp structure on 240. it would help some.

The traffic volumes for Douglas are actually MOSTLY through traffic. All you have to do is sit and watch how many people drive right by the traffic waiting to get it in the one gate to see how overwhelmingly, through traffic uses this road.

Tinker isn't really busting at the seems either, so I question the need for this anyway. Being able to cross Douglas from one gate to another could be accomplished with a traffic bridge across Douglas. Turn Douglas into an at-grade tunnel with a wall. There are a lot of ways to do this that are far less disruptive. Its one of the few times i have disagreed with the mayor's plans.

Let me also say that if security is the concern, well it's not a real one. All you have between you and Tinker up and down the border, is a simple wire fence. In some higher traffic areas they added temporary concrete traffic barriers back in 2001 (at what point do you call them permanent). If someone was looking to do something nefarious, there are penetration points ALLL OVER the place.

[BoulderSooner]

Because anyone going from 240 to MWC, uses this heavily. Remember the next currently available exits are at Anderson or Air Depot. I dont think it's illogical to not force through traffic to always go 2 extra miles out of the way to wrap around Tinker. If the state at least creates an Post Rd ramp structure on 240. it would help some.

The traffic volumes for Douglas are actually MOSTLY through traffic. All you have to do is sit and watch how many people drive right by the traffic waiting to get it in the one gate to see how overwhelmingly, through traffic uses this road.

Tinker isn't really busting at the seems either, so I question the need for this anyway. Being able to cross Douglas from one gate to another could be accomplished with a traffic bridge across Douglas. Turn Douglas into an at-grade tunnel with a wall. There are a lot of ways to do this that are far less disruptive. Its one of the few times i have disagreed with the mayor's plans.

Let me also say that if security is the concern, well it's not a real one. All you have between you and Tinker up and down the border, is a simple wire fence. In some higher traffic areas they added temporary concrete traffic barriers back in 2001 (at what point do you call them permanent). If someone was looking to do something nefarious, there are penetration points ALLL OVER the place.

aircraft cross douglas ....

[catch22]

aircraft cross douglas ....

I would imagine it’s a less than daily occurrence. It’s not a primary taxiway to a runway. I know you know this, but just trying to add some clarity.

A bridge would be a better solution, in my opinion. I think losing thru Douglass will be a major mistake for the surrounding community.

[BoulderSooner]

I would imagine it’s a less than daily occurrence. It’s not a primary taxiway to a runway. I know you know this, but just trying to add some clarity.

A bridge would be a better solution, in my opinion. I think losing thru Douglass will be a major mistake for the surrounding community.

one of the reasons for the closing of Douglas is the continued expansion of the base and the aircraft depot areas .... in the future aircraft will cross (what was douglas) much more often

[bombermwc]

I would imagine it’s a less than daily occurrence. It’s not a primary taxiway to a runway. I know you know this, but just trying to add some clarity.

A bridge would be a better solution, in my opinion. I think losing thru Douglass will be a major mistake for the surrounding community.

That's what im saying. They used to stop traffic at 2am to allow planes to cross from Tinker to the BOEING owned MROTC. I think they also do that during the day now. Note that the MRTOC never fully developed to the 17 or so hangers they were supposed to construct either. They have started doing some daytime moves, but putting in a real bridge would make this a much better situation and prevents the need to cut off Douglas.

It's sort of pandering to Tinker of something they dont really need. They have disconnected and UNRELATED portions of activity east of Douglas. The fuels area is one, down the road is the Boeing MRTOC. The national guard and flight standards next to that. But even those dont share guard houses, or and infrastructure. Not to mention that on TInker itself, everyone builds their own little single purposes structures that dont server an overall need. So you have a LOT of buildings taking up room in an very inefficient way.

Tinker would be far better served, dozing a lot of this, putting in new office space and a garage. It would free up quite a bit of land for other purposes.

And if they want Tinker East, go for it. Make an actual base on that side, connect it up to the communications wing (even though that's south of 59th. You can still maintain a transportation tunnel in Douglas between the two halves. And again, dont try to sell me on security. That's a farce.

[HOT ROD]

they could rebuild Douglass to still connect but go around the expansion, see S Portland Ave for how this was done for WRWA.

[Snowman]

they could rebuild Douglass to still connect but go around the expansion, see S Portland Ave for how this was done for WRWA.

It looks like the base & airport trust probably own most of the land between 59th & 74th all the way to Post, so an interchange on Post seems more likely than having the street jog a bit

[bombermwc]

It looks like the base & airport trust probably own most of the land between 59th & 74th all the way to Post, so an interchange on Post seems more likely than having the street jog a bit

What the mayor was proposing was that people just take 74th and backtrack, and then come back on 29th.

They will also need to turn Post and that section of 74th into a 4 lane road to handle the traffic. But i'm pretty sure they haven't been considering this.

[BoulderSooner]

It looks like the base & airport trust probably own most of the land between 59th & 74th all the way to Post, so an interchange on Post seems more likely than having the street jog a bit

long term there is a good chance the everything between 40 and 240 east of douglas will be Tinker AFB ..

[Pete]

Recent aerials:

[BoulderSooner]

Recent aerials:

those 7 kc46 hangers will eventually be 14 IIRC

[GaryOKC6]

It is good to see this all moving forward. The next round will add an additional 2 billion in infrastructure development this year and next.

[Pete]

It's hard to comprehend the entire Tinker-driven economic engine.

Between Tinker, the State government (including OU, UCO, OCCC, Rose State, etc.) and all the distribution centers on the far west side, OKC has an incredible 3-legged economic machine.

[GaryOKC6]

It's hard to comprehend the entire Tinker-driven economic engine.

Between Tinker, the State government (including OU, UCO, OCCC, Rose State, etc.) and all the distribution centers on the far west side, OKC has an incredible 3-legged economic machine.

absolutely. Tinker alone is around a 4 billion dollar impact in the region.

[Prunesmoothie]

those 7 kc46 hangers will eventually be 14 IIRC

Any idea when work begins on new hangars east of Douglas and north of 59th?

[BoulderSooner]

Any idea when work begins on new hangars east of Douglas and north of 59th?

i don't have exact timing on that project but it should be this year ..

[PoliSciGuy]

absolutely. Tinker alone is around a 4 billion dollar impact in the region.

Here's hoping we can keep that humming after Inhofe's departure.

Also, as a plane nerd I can't wait until the B-21 maintenance complex is up and running in a few years. Gonna geek out watching those things fly in and out.

[MagzOK]

Here's hoping we can keep that humming after Inhofe's departure.

^^
This. There is a lot of hatred on this website for this man and his conservative allies, but the fact of the matter is that with his tenure, Inhofe was INSTRUMENTAL in Tinker's continued success in the region. Tinker's success is everything to this metro area.

[dcsooner]

^^
This. There is a lot of hatred on this website for this man and his conservative allies, but the fact of the matter is that with his tenure, Inhofe was INSTRUMENTAL in Tinker's continued success in the region. Tinker's success is everything to this metro area.

I am unashamedly not a fan of anybody staying on the public payroll almost their entire adult life. Never had a real job like everyday working people

[chssooner]

I am unashamedly not a fan of anybody staying on the public payroll almost their entire adult life. Never had a real job like everyday working people

But he truly realized the impact of Tinker, and how the Federal government could create 10s of 1000s of jobs for Oklahomans. None of the 7 current congressmen want Oklahoma to receive federal funds. So he is different in that way.

[Jersey Boss]

But he truly realized the impact of Tinker, and how the Federal government could create 10s of 1000s of jobs for Oklahomans. None of the 7 current congressmen want Oklahoma to receive federal funds. So he is different in that way.

You are quite incorrect on asserting Inhofe is unique in wanting and obtaining federal funds.
For instance, Lucas is a champion of fedefal monies going to the ag sector.

[chssooner]

You are quite incorrect on asserting Inhofe is unique in wanting and obtaining federal funds.
For instance, Lucas is a champion of fedefal monies going to the ag sector.

Good for him. I might have missed that because he isn't in my district (my apologies for my ignorance). I just know that Tinker is in a district with congressmen who don't love federal dollars and earmarks.

[bombermwc]

Term limits would be good.....i'll just leave it at that.

It's been surprising to me that the MROTC has been so slow to develop. It was supposed to be what, 17 hangers or something crazy like that, all north of 59th street. And we have 3 10 years after they started. Maybe they just didn't do a very good job at explaining that the 17 number was just a masterplan, and masterplans hardly ever get completed as drawn because the world changes as you go. But I agree, it will be cool to see the B21 come through here. We rarely ever see a B2, but it has happened on occasion. B1's....not all the time, but a lot more often.

[GaryOKC6]

Term limits would be good.....i'll just leave it at that.

It's been surprising to me that the MROTC has been so slow to develop. It was supposed to be what, 17 hangers or something crazy like that, all north of 59th street. And we have 3 10 years after they started. Maybe they just didn't do a very good job at explaining that the 17 number was just a masterplan, and masterplans hardly ever get completed as drawn because the world changes as you go. But I agree, it will be cool to see the B21 come through here. We rarely ever see a B2, but it has happened on occasion. B1's....not all the time, but a lot more often.

The Air force does move slow. There were also some utilities that have to be moved. The city just approved around 40 million to move the main water line that runs along Douglas in order to move forward. I believe that we have until the end of next year to get ready for the B21.

[Bits_Of_Real_Panther]

Flightradar24
SNTRY25 left tinker
Boeing E-3B

Left tinker, helped support the object shoot down over lake Huron.

Any local scoops on this?