Lab project to address Pajarito Road access control

The Lab’s Security and Safeguards Division (S) has created a project team to evaluate and implement options for controlling access to Pajarito Road.

The project is part of the continuing effort to assess security preparedness after the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

"There have been no direct threats against the Lab or our facilities that motivate this project," said Stan Busboom, S Division leader. "But it is prudent to put in place the ability to restrict access promptly if ever increased security conditions warrant that action."

Currently the Lab is at security level 3, declared by the National Nuclear Security Administration when a predictable threat of terrorist activity is deemed to exist, but absent any specific threat.

Because Pajarito Road passes by two critically important facilities – Technical Area 18 and TA-55 – it is important to be able to respond quickly if ever NNSA requires the Lab to moved to increased levels of security, Busboom said.

The project team, headed by Mark Harris of Deployed Services (PM-DS), will study traffic flow and access control measures used elsewhere and evaluate their applicability to the Lab and Pajarito Road.

The concepts that will be reviewed by the project team include:

• Use of a Lab-issued pass available to on-site workers and Los Alamos County residents to access Pajarito Road. The passes would be coded to limit access according to changing security conditions.
• A guard station near the intersection with State Road 4 and one between TA-59 and TA-48 (link to maps). Vehicles with passes would be waved through the guard stations under routine conditions.
  

The project team also will evaluate existing electronic identification systems, which could provide additional automation to the access control process.

The Lab has begun a process of communication with residents, businesses, Los Alamos County officials and other interested parties to obtain their input.

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