Compiled by The Bedford Citizen
Col. Chad Ellsworth, Commander of the 66th Air Base Group at Hanscom Air Force Base (HAFB) since August 2018, addressed the final 2018 meeting of the Hanscom Area Towns Committee (HATS).
Traffic mitigation is always a major topic of conversation at HAFB. It is especially pertinent now because of anticipated increases in local road traffic due to the arrival of hundreds of new personnel, as well as the current and planned construction projects on the Base.
The Air Force has hired a consultant to work with the towns in mitigating these traffic issues. Additionally, base personnel are encouraged to participate in car-sharing, carpooling, and telecommuting as much as possible.
With $8 billion invested in infrastructure and 27 current building projects under contract for $32.9 million, Col. Ellsworth described HAFB as thriving. Some of the significant developments include:
- Approval is anticipated for $200+ million in funding for a new MIT Lincoln Lab project
- The $15 million renovation of an older building to house the regional Defense Contract Management Agency is now complete. Agency staff will soon move from their Boston office to Hanscom.
- A new 66-room dormitory with 18 kitchens for junior enlisted airmen has been completed and should be open in early December, 2019.
- The new $37 million Hanscom Primary School is set to open by Fall 2019.
Col. Ellsworth praised the robust partnering relationships between HAFB and its four contiguous towns – Bedford, Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord – as well as with the Massachusetts congressional delegation and Governor Baker’s office. He said base personnel are particularly appreciative of the opportunity to be fully integrated into nearby communities.
Adding that HAFB is always open to new ideas for potential partnering with neighboring towns, Col. Ellsworth mentioned:
- Collaborating with Bedford to purchase more cost-efficient winter road brine supplies
- Working with surrounding towns regarding local child care resources
- Streamlining food deliveries from near-by restaurants to provide more dining options and service for the 10,000 daily workers on the base, as well as the 730 families that reside on Hanscom.
Upcoming Meeting
The next HATS meeting will take place in Lexington on Thursday, January 24, 2019, at 7:30 pm, in the Estabrook Room of the Cary Memorial Building, 1605 Massachusetts Avenue. The guest speaker will be John C. Beatty, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force.
Residents of Hanscom area towns are always cordially invited to attend.
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