TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 325th Fighter Wing received construction materials via barge to aid in the ongoing rebuild efforts taking place at Tyndall Air Force Base. The barge carrying construction materials arrived at the base’s port on Jan. 6.
Transporting massive amounts of materials needed to sustain the rebuild while not impeding Tyndall’s mission is a challenge that the barge deliveries help to circumvent.
“Delivery to the barge landing area minimizes traffic congestion at the commercial gate for inspections and access via Tyndall Gate,” said Graham Foreman, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers mobile district resident engineer. “The barge landing location keeps construction traffic away from operational units and has the lowest cost and environmental impact compared to other methods of freight transportation.”
Utilizing barges to deliver aggregate materials is a more efficient method of transportation, both in cost and resources.
“Each barge delivers approximately 6,200 tons of concrete aggregate,” said Graham. “That would equate to roughly 390 trucks driving onto base every time a barge comes in which would congest roads in the local area and the installation.”
While there are many positives to utilizing barges, there are a few challenges that are taken into consideration.
“Deliveries to the port are very weather-dependent,” said Graham. “The conditions in the Gulf of Mexico can [change] pretty drastically from day-to-day, and if it is unsafe for the barge to traverse the waters then the deliveries will be delayed, which could impact the ongoing construction projects.”
The delivery of these construction materials is crucial for Tyndall’s rebuild, which is estimated to take the next several years to complete. Tyndall will continue to play a vital role in the Air Force’s air dominance mission in the years to come and rebuild efforts will ensure its readiness as the wing transitions from a training unit to a combat-ready mission.