Watson gate to close Nov. 22 Published Nov. 12, 2010 By Wayne Crenshaw 78 ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The Watson Boulevard gate, or Gate 3, will close Nov. 22 for approximately two months. To help alleviate some of the traffic problems caused by the closure, the Martin Luther King Street gate, or Gate 5, will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, manpower normally assigned to the Watson gate will be moved to the MLK gate and other gates, and extra ID checkers will be placed in each lane during peak hours to speed traffic through as quickly as possible. Also, local law enforcement will be assisting with the flow of traffic outside the gates. The closure will allow for security improvements to be made to the Watson Boulevard gate. Once the Watson Boulevard gate reopens, the Perry Street access to Watson Boulevard will only be open during peak traffic hours, or Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 8 a.m. and 4 to 5 p.m. The Robins Visitors Center will remain open during the closure of the Watson Boulevard gate, although visitors will have to get back on Highway 247 and enter the base through one of the other gates. With the exception of the Martin Luther King Street gate, the operating hours of all other gates will remain the same during construction. See graphic at right for gate information and changes in hours of operation.