The main entrance road to NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center off Rosamond Boulevard on base will close May 21 for a major repair and repaving project. Lilly Ave. is expected to remain closed throughout the summer until the project is completed.
The temporary alternate entrance will be located on Thompson Drive, which will be accessible from Forbes Avenue. Forbes becomes Swann Avenue as motorists approach Dryden. Detour signs will mark the new route beginning on Rosamond Boulevard. Dryden Protective Services officers will staff the temporary Dryden entrance at the intersection of Walker Avenue and Thompson 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the road repair project.
“We are working to let people know what’s happening so we can minimize the disruption to people’s daily lives,” said project manager Vicki Gray. “The multi-phase pavement project will include replacing asphalt, resurfacing and slurry seal.”
Dryden employees who work at the Dryden communications site, buildings 4824 and 4870, will be permitted access from Lilly Avenue, with detour signs beginning on Rosamond Boulevard showing the route to those facilities during the construction.
Access to the special projects Bldg. 4847 currently housing the X-48 project will be available by continuing down Thompson Drive and following the signs.
The first part of phase one includes work on the section of Lilly Avenue from the communication buildings past McKay Avenue up to the special projects Bldg. 4847. Also closed will be the sections of Swann and Lilly Avenue between Lilly and Thompson.
The NASA gas station can be reached from Swann Avenue via Thompson Drive for employees coming from Dryden, or from Forbes Avenue for employees heading toward Dryden.
During the second part of phase one road repairs, the section of Lilly Avenue from the communication buildings past McKay Avenue to Bldg. 4847 will be re-opened, but the main Lilly entrance to Dryden will remain closed. The second part of phase one roadwork will occur on Lilly Avenue from Rosamond Boulevard to the communications buildings and on Lilly Avenue from Building 4847 to the Dryden flight line area.
Project officials anticipate that phase one will be the most disruptive of the multi-phase road and flightline repair work. In addition to roadwork planned for other phases, the project also includes concrete work on the Dryden taxiways to repair cracks, joints and spalls.
