Fort Belvoir to open Telegraph Road Gate to DoD-registered traffic
A new access control point will open June 3 at the intersection of Telegraph Road and Beulah Street, allowing vehicles with Department of Defense decals to enter Fort Belvoir.
Opening this new gate is the result of a cooperative effort involving Fort Belvoir, the Virginia Department of Transportation, representatives from the offices of Sen. John Warner and Congressmen Jim Moran and Tom Davis, and from the offices of Fairfax County District Supervisors Dana Kauffman and Gerald Hyland. Officials from Fort Belvoir and VDOT, with input from the state and county transportation offices, formed a Transportation Resolution Team in January, which proposed the plan for a limited-access point to help relieve traffic congestion on public roads around Fort Belvoir.
"This is a positive step for Fort Belvoir and the surrounding community," said Col. Kurt Weaver, Fort Belvoir garrison commander. "Allowing DoD-decaled traffic to enter post at that location will reduce traffic congestion along Telegraph Road."
The gate at Telegraph Road will be open on weekdays only, from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and closed weekends and holidays, hours that mirror those for the gate near the intersection of Woodlawn Road and U.S. Route 1. Adjustments to this schedule may occur after reviewing usage data.
Only privately owned vehicles that display the DoD registration decal will be allowed to enter or exit through the Telegraph ACP. As at Fort Belvoir's other gates, drivers will have to show appropriate photo identification.
Trucks will not be allowed to enter or exit at Telegraph Road, nor will vehicles displaying Fort Belvoir's temporary visitor's pass. Trucks must enter at Tulley Gate weekdays until 7 p.m. and at Pence Gate after 7 and on weekends. Vehicles with a visitor's pass may enter or exit through one of the installation's other gates.
The TRT suggests that simply opening the entrance to Fort Belvoir-bound traffic will go a long way toward reducing congestion on roads around Fort Belvoir. The ACP should have the secondary benefit of allowing Fort Belvoir traffic easier access to the businesses north of the installation during the workday.
The Army and VDOT plan an extensive information campaign to get the word out about the Telegraph Road ACP, to include multiple news articles, flyers, postings to the Belvoir Web site, briefings at community gatherings, and Email.
Additionally, VDOT is scheduled to place portable electronic signs on Telegraph Road containing messages about the gate. Initially, there will be increased military police presence at the gate to help direct motorists.