Attention commuters: Reduced hours at Tinker Gate, Eaker Gate shifts to temporary 24-hour operations Published Sept. 16, 2015 By Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Beginning Sept. 11, Tinker Air Force Base personnel and visitors should anticipate modifications to the current traffic flow at the Tinker and Eaker Gates. This is in preparation for the next construction phase on the Interstate 40, Air Depot Boulevard and Southeast 29th Street intersection improvement project. The Tinker Gate hours will change to 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with only one lane open in both directions. Eaker Gate will open for 24-hour operations beginning at 5:30 a.m. through the construction period. The Tinker Visitors Center Pass and Identification Office located outside the Tinker Gate on Air Depot will maintain current operating hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Visitors who are leaving the Visitors Center Pass and Identification Office while the Tinker Gate is closed will have to use S.E. 29th Street to get to the Eaker Gate until the I-40 eastbound ramp construction is complete. Tinker commuters, visitors and residents are encouraged to use other gates during this construction phase. Limited traffic flow under the Air Depot/ I-40 overpass will reduce south and north bound traffic as ODOT adds additional lanes for future use. "The project improvements being engineered are, by design, phased to impact commuter traffic the least," said Brad Beam, deputy base civil engineer Tinker officials will keep the workforce and residents up-to-date about these impacts through official communications, Tinker's social media site, the Tinker Take Off and all other available media. Motorists are advised to use caution through the work zones For official information, follow the ODOT Twitter feed @OKDOT. ODOT reminds Twitter users not to text or tweet while driving. Traffic information is also available at http://ok.gov/odot/Traffic_and_Travel/Traffic_Advisories/index.html.