Situation
GBI constructed an Infantry Platoon Battle Course on the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) on the Big Island of Hawai’i. This area is located more than 12 miles down a gravel road from Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road) and 15 miles from the PTA military base. The project site encompassed 343 acres of virgin lava and Ohia forest terrain on the northwest slopes of Mauna Loa. The worksite varied between 5000 and 6000 feet in elevation.
Solution
Because of the remote location, and the fact that this was an active practice range, GBI had to contend with some unusual circumstances. Eight buildings were constructed on the site with varying construction types, with extremely stringent specifications. It was a challenge to get the small quantities of higher-than-standard materials needed, and few subcontractors were willing to take on smaller scopes of work due to location and complex military requirements.
During the course of the project, GBI constructed seven miles of two-lane gravel surface road, and conditioned more than 110 acres of lava to enable troop foot traffic. We also built numerous moving and stationary military targets, an infantry trench, machine gun bunkers, a control tower, RF towers, a range ops center, and other infrastructure in addition to a mess hall and latrines.
Notable
Despite the fact that the location was a two-hour drive from the nearest town and services, GBI was able to maintain quality standards with concrete and equipment maintenance. Internet availability was intermittent and sub-standard, making it difficult to hold weekly meetings and technical conversations. All personnel had to have background checks in order to get badged by the base. All unbadged personnel had to be accompanied by GBI badged personnel for the two-hour round trip from the highway to the site.
Project Details
Awards
General Contractors Association of Hawaii
Build Hawaii, Award of Merit 2018
Federal Construction
