Federal stimulus money stimulating more militarization, “a perfect example of how the stimulus program is supposed to work.”
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Updated at 6:38 a.m., Saturday, March 27, 2010
Missile range gets new runway thanks to stimulus money
The Garden Island
LIHU’E, Kauai — Just in time for this summer’s RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) international war games, the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands near Kekaha has a brand-new runway.
According to a Navy press release, the project, completed March 23, is the first Navy project in Hawai’i completed using federal funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The contract was awarded by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawai’i, out of Pearl Harbor on O’ahu.
“The extensive work completed on the airfield has ensured that PMRF will remain mission-ready for the next 25 years,” said Capt. Aaron Cudnohufsky, PMRF commanding officer.
“This project was extremely successful, representing a great partnership between the contractor, NAVFAC Hawai’i and PMRF to complete the project ahead of schedule and within budget.”
NAVFAC Hawai’i awarded the $20.7 million contract to Bulltrack-Watts construction, a joint-venture based in Marysville, Calif., to cut into the existing runway and taxiway as deep as four feet and resurface it with new asphalt concrete pavement.
The project also called for the sealing of existing cracks and re-striping of the runway with retro-reflective white paint.
The project was originally scheduled to be completed by April 4. However, some sections like the tower parking apron and the runway were turned over as soon as they became operational in January and February.
Final acceptance by PMRF was made March 23, the release states.
“This project is a perfect example of how the stimulus program is supposed to work,” said Vincent Fragomene, construction manager Bulltrack-Watts JV.
“We were able to provide a source of revenue for many local businesses on Kaua’i, as well as provide an opportunity for many local construction tradesmen to work during these trying economic times.”
Four local companies were subcontracted to complete the job, three from Honolulu and one from Lihu’e, the Lihu’e firm being Concrete Cutting & Coring, whose employees saw-cut and cold-mill-planed the deteriorating old runway, the release states.
Grace Pacific Corporation provided two crews for repaving. Henry Asato Painting provided a painting crew, and A.M.F. Surveying sent out an assessment team.
See www.navfac.navy.mil for more information about NAVFAC Hawai’i or Naval Facilities Engineering Command.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command manages the planning, design, construction, contingency engineering, real estate, environmental, and public works support for U.S. Navy shore facilities around the world.
NAVFAC is a global organization with an annual volume of business in excess of $18 billion. As a member of the Navy and Marine Corps team, NAVFAC delivers facilities engineering solutions worldwide.
Additional updates and information about NAVFAC can be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/navfac) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/navfac), the release states.