On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacked on American soil, and, as Lillian G. Burry, a member of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, said, “Everything changed that day.”

On that day, Burry was mayor of Colts Neck, which includes much of Naval Weapons Station Earle’s 11,000 acres. Although Earle, an ammunition storage facility, was not an open base before 9/11, access to it became even more tightly restricted.

On Thursday, Burry was one of the dignitaries dedicating the new $8.4 million redevelopment of the Navy base’s main entrance on Route 34 in Colts Neck.

Work included an office/inspection area with two drive-through bays able to handle easily vehicles as big as tractor-trailers, along with a third lane outside for larger vehicles; a new guard station beyond it; visitor parking, and a curving road to prevent backups on Route 34, but not providing a direct line into the base.

“It’s designed to slow traffic, so you’re not getting a straight shot” into the base,” said Lt. Commander Matthew Tolhurst, Earle’s public works director.

Because it involves security at a military base, the Navy declined to discussed specifics, such as information on staffing and procedures.

“It’s based on reality,” said Rep. Christopher H. Smith, R-N.J., who pushed for the project’s funding in Washington. “This is how you do it in 2012. This is how you protect a base.”

Smith, actively involved in veterans issues as a congressman, said the new gate area protects the base, its personnel and the surrounding community.

Colts Neck Township Committeeman Russell Macnow called Earle “a great neighbor,” with the improved gate area “good for the security of the base and Colts Neck in general.”

Not only does the new main gate improve security, Macnow said, it looks good — replacing a tent erected for inspecting vehicles and a small building dating to 1943, when the base opened.

“Number 1, it’s improved security,” Tolhurst said. “The design process, you try to make it look as professional as possible.”

The project involved re-doing the gate area from Route 34 to a few hundred feet to a new guard station.

“It’s kind of like a whole complex they did,” said base spokesman Michael Brady.

Construction on the project began in November 2010 with minor work, such as landscaping, yet to be completed, Brady said. The new inspection bays, for example, opened in the past few weeks, according to the Navy.

The main contractor was Massachusetts-based P&S Construction Inc., whose officials attended the ceremony.

“Because we’re a weapons station, security has been paramount since we were commissioned in 1943,” said Capt. David “Fuzz” Harrison, the base’s commanding officer.

“Basically, the design was to afford accessibility while keeping everyone on the base safe and access secure,” said Douglas Dreher, Earle’s security director.

Joseph Sapia: 732-308-7754, JSapia@ njpressmedia.com.


Original published article:

http://www.app.com/article/20120816/NJNEWS/308160109/Earle-s-rebuilt-gate-dedicated