Traffic increasing on Ward Drive Published July 16, 2008 By Monte Miller 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- As part of an ongoing road construction project on Ward Drive, two intersections will now be controlled by stoplights instead of stop signs. About 18 months ago, a base traffic study was completed that showed the need for more fluid north/south traffic flow on Scott Air Force Base. The study revealed three main factors that will add to the increased traffic flow on Ward Drive. The first is the new construction going on at the U.S. Transportation Command complex and the addition of the permanent home for the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. In conjunction with the new buildings, several parking areas are also being constructed, which will increase traffic flow in that area. To remedy this, a center turn lane is being added to on Ward Drive to make entrance and egress from the new parking lots easier. Another factor in the street widening and stop light installation is the construction of new Airmen's dormitories that will also increase traffic flow in that area of base. The third factor that went into the decision to widen the street and regulate flow with stop lights is the eventual opening of the Patriots Landing gate directly onto base which will add even more traffic to the mix. Currently, the intersections of Ward and Winters at Ward at Birchard will have the stoplights, and future plans call for the removal of stop signs on Ward Drive to facilitate even smoother traffic flow. The stop light installation and street widening is scheduled to be complete by September.