Main gate scheduled for two-week closure Published May 12, 2010 By Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The pop-up barriers for physical security at Minot AFB's Magic City or main gate are scheduled for a two-week closure June 1 to 14 here. "The pop-up barriers for physical security at the gates have been a maintenance problem almost since they have been installed," said Kevin Nelson, 5th Mission Support Group deputy commander. "To ensure they operate properly when required, the barrier at the Magic City gate is going to be replaced." The closure will provide maintenance teams an opportunity to rectify the issues in a safe environment. Safety is paramount in today's Air Force and is a main goal of the project. "The new barrier will consist of a net that pops up to stop the vehicle," Mr. Nelson added. "The net will cause no or very minimal damage to the vehicle [and driver]." The upgrade will necessitate the closure of the Magic City gate to all traffic for the two-week period. During that time, the Minot or south gate will be open to two-way traffic 24 hours a day. The north gate will be open from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, but will be open for inbound traffic only from 6 to 8 a.m. Additionally, all truck traffic is asked to enter through the north gate only during its hours of operation. The visitor's center will remain in operation at its present location. "We apologize for the inconvenience," said Mr. Nelson. "But the end result will be worth it." For any questions regarding gate hours or operation, please call Capt. Mike Gallucci at 723-2664.