McConnell sees more construction Published Oct. 11, 2007 By Lt. Col. Aaron Young 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- Construction season is about to begin in Military Family Housing (MFH). Thanks to an aggressive budgeting program and vital advocacy by wing leadership, McConnell is set to receive almost ten million dollars for maintenance and repair projects this year for base housing. While there may be short term inconveniences to MFH residents, the new construction projects will improve force protection and the quality of life for both current and future Team McConnell residents. Several MFH projects have already started construction, while others will kick off in the near future. Of significant interest is our housing gate renovation project. The MFH gate on Rock Road will receive a facelift and new force protection improvements to include traffic calming, a larger inspection area, and gate house. Customers may access the housing office near the Rock Road gate however, all housing traffic is rerouted through the 31st Street entrance during construction. The dirt road serving the MFH maintenance office and recreational vehicle storage lot will also be realigned and paved. We are also demolishing 75 units along Vandenberg Drive and create a new park-like green space in their place. Complementing the new green space will be a new fence project which replaces the old brick wall along Rock Road with landscaping and a more secure wrought iron fence which enhances the aesthetics of the housing area along Rock Road. We are also accomplishing some important repairs that involve a lot of earthwork and trenching, such as inspecting and repairing both the sanitary sewer system and the storm drainage system. These projects repair spots of underground pipe, so please stay away from heavy equipment and any open trenches. Another project will require additional trenching along Arnold Drive to replace the existing overhead electrical distribution system to a more reliable underground electrical distribution system. As with any infrastructure upgrade, there will be short interruptions in electrical service; and the base housing office will notify affected residents of outages after construction schedules are finalized. We also awarded projects which targeted needed repairs to specific housing units to replace shingled roofs, heating and air conditioning systems, bathroom renovations, renovate to meet American with Disabilities Act requirements, and driveway replacements. Residents will be notified if their homes are affected by any of these specific repair projects. Residents may also be affected with landscaping disturbances from sidewalk replacements and road repairs. Currently, there are three separate repair projects throughout the housing area to upgrade the current conditions of base roads. As with all of the upcoming projects, Civil Engineering will post road closures and any other construction impacts to residents. Please keep safety in mind during the next several months as there will be an increase of traffic, detours, and construction activity as we make improvements to our neighborhoods. We in the Civil Engineer Squadron are looking forward to working with you to make this repair program a huge success. If you have any questions about the construction projects, please contact the housing office at 759-3173 or Mr. Jim Miller, Engineering Flight Chief at 759-3921. Thanks again for your patience and cooperation as we make Team McConnell a nicer place to live.