The Camp Murray military post located near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County will officially open a new gate entrance this week.

The effort to design and build a new Camp Murray gate began several years ago in partnership with the City of Lakewood. The current gate is located at Berkeley Street and Union Avenue and will now be used solely for commercial vehicles during defined hours. The new gate, which will open at midnight on Fri., March 8, is located at the intersection of Portland Avenue and Boundary Street, and will be the access point for Camp Murray commuters.

“The new Camp Murray gate will provide a safer avenue to work for our employees, and will lessen some of the current traffic challenges in the surrounding community,” said Major General Bret Daugherty, The Adjutant General and Director of the Washington Military Department. “We believe the new gate serves the overall best interests of Tillicum and Camp Murray.”

Approximately 1,000 citizen-soldiers, airmen and civilian employees commute to Camp Murray during the week. Camp Murray’s tactical military vehicles and approximately 50 full-time employees are being transitioned over to the Washington Army National Guard’s new Combined Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS) on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. CSMS is the maintenance center for Army National Guard wheeled vehicles in western Washington.

The $2.8 million contract to build the new gate was awarded to Berschauer Construction of Olympia, and was funded with federal money. Construction began in October 2011. In addition, the Washington Military Department spent approximately $1 million for traffic calming measures outside of the new gate in the Tillicum community. Tucci & Sons Incorporated of Tacoma, and Berschauer Construction were awarded the contracts to complete the traffic calming measures.