Gardner Drive Road Closure 2022 (002)Title: GARDNER DRIVE ROAD CLOSURE
Date: 08.01.2022
Reviewer Name: BILL McDow, WMPO
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The proposed closure is approximately 0.40 mile of Gardner Drive at the intersection of Trask Drive and Anna Pennington Drive. The portion of Gardner Drive, from Airport Blvd to Trask
Drive will remain open. Some businesses and Emergency Vehicles may require access after the closure, (by access easement, key card, Knox Box or Siren Access). The WMPO does not object
to the closure.
Site Information:
The Gardner Drive connection provides connectivity from Airport Blvd to N. 23rd Street, and from Hall Drive to Blue Clay Road. These connections would remain open.
If this portion of Gardner Drive is closed it will impact the business driveways for several existing businesses, including the US Weather Service, (NOAA), Parker Land Group, and AVELO
Airlines Jet Fuel Storage Facility. These parcels are listed on NHC GIS as leased parcels from the airport authority.
An aircraft maintenance facility, (1803 Gardner Drive) located on Anna Pennington Drive, may have access from adjacent parcels on Trask Drive and from internal roads within the runway
fencing area.
Additional parcels of land are located beyond this intersection, including the Cold Storage Facility, (2404 Gardner Drive), and a future facility located to the east of Gardner Drive
and within the existing runway fencing area. NHC GIS lists the parcels as leased parcels from the airport authority.
NCDOT approved closure of this portion of Gardner Drive on November 19, 2019.
Access Information:
The US Weather Service, (2015 Gardner Drive), Parker Land Group Landscaping Services, (2021 Gardner Road) and AVELO Airlines Jet Fuel Storage Facility, (2051 Gardner Drive), have driveways
that are located beyond the start of this closure.
The US Weather Service has sole access from the proposed closure. It is currently accessed by employees and visitors. During major national disasters, the weather service states that
additional personnel may require access to the Weather Station.
The Parker Land Group has sole access via the closure, by its employees, which include daily ingress and egress by the employees and trips by 7-8 company vehicles.
AVELO Airlines, (2051 Gardner Road), has a Jet Fuel Storage Facility along the closure on Gardner Drive. This facility has daily fueling operations by 4 or more fuel vehicles that transfer
fuel from this facility to other portions of the airport for flight operations. Information on the Refilling schedule of the Jet Fuel tanks is not currently available.
If the closed portion of Gardner Drive is gated, then current and future businesses could have access by keycard and access easement agreements.
Emergency Access and Connectivity Information:
Closing this street segment will limit access to the Northwest portion of the fenced area of the runway, which would impact airport maintenance facility vehicles, (landscaping).
Emergency Access to the existing and future business parcels require access to the closure. The Emergency access would require a gate with Knox box or siren access.
Conclusion on Gardner Drive Street Closure:
The WMPO does not object to this closure. Airport authority is the lease holder of the parcels along this street closure. Some businesses, including the Weather Service, Parker Land
Group, AVELO Airlines and Cold Storage Facility, and emergency vehicles may need access. This access can be managed via key card, or Knox box/ Siren.