By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
Junction City Commissioner Richard Pinaire noted Tuesday evening he would like to see the recent Army closure of the Trooper Gate entrance to Fort Riley reconsidered. He suggested it could perhaps be a topic for an upcoming joint city - county - school district meeting. He added local officials are stakeholders and suggested a meeting of officials with Fort Riley.
Major General Monte Rone announced the closure and that the Grant Ave. entrance to the Post would be open 24 hours seven days a week for traffic.
Mayor Pat Landes said that he had been in discussion with Rone and the Army had done traffic studies that showed most of the traffic was going through the Grant Gate. "The company that prioritized security at the gates didn't have enough personnel and cost to pay for keeping both gates open." Landes noted that the Army was not moving off of the decision. Pinaire replied, "That's pretty tragic."
Geary County Commissioners also recently expressed concern and disagreement with the closure of the Trooper Gate entrance. One concern was about the economic impact of the closure on businesses near that entrance.