Tinker Air Force Base is the largest single-site employer in Oklahoma. It’s about to get even larger. The growth is expected to increase safety and attract jobs. To do this, base officials today announced they’ll be shutting down part of Douglas Boulevard between SE 44th Street and SE 74th Street for the expansion.Officials say they hope to begin closing the streets to start the expansion by the end of next year or early 2023.The closure will have a big impact on traffic, but officials say it won’t impact homes or businesses because most of the area properties are owned by public entities. Tinker employs about 26,000 people and has an annual economic impact of $4.8 billion. Those numbers could grow as the base expands.“The plan is to close Douglas from SE 74th and SE 44th Street, including a portion of 59th Street and a portion of 49th Street,” said Cathy O’Conner, general manager of the Oklahoma Industries Authority. The Industries Authority and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce say it’s for a few reasons.“It is vital we do anything and everything necessary to secure its safety and plan for its future needs. If you are familiar at all with the east and southeast portions of the base, you may know that we have several facilities that are located on the east side of Douglas Boulevard outside of the security perimeter this has been concern for the base and our community leadership for some time,” O’Conner said.They also say it was important to find a way to make the base more competitive for future reasons. “Making sure there is not only room for citing those missions but they're in the right location,” she said.