Teaming with Slack Alost Architecture and BBC Engineering in Shreveport, Forte and Tablada, Inc. received official Notice to Proceed on the Phase 1 infrastructure at the LA ARNG Regional Training Institute (RTI) located at Camp Minden. The first phase of the RTI includes approximately $16 Million worth of infrastructure. The entire project consists of a 40 acre site development, entrance road, drives, sewer, pump station, sewer force main, potable water, fire water/booster pump, primary electrical system of conduits for utility use, Central Plant electrical design, emergency generator system/distribution, communication system/distribution, fencing, retention pond and military vehicle parking (MVP) area including lighting. Frank Titus, P.E. is the Project Engineer for the project, with Michael Travis, P.E. and John Hobbs handling the electrical and communication design. Surveying services will be headed up by Carl Jeansonne, PLS.
Planning for this project is well underway, with meetings being held to finalize the scope of services required to accomplish the desired milestones, which have been set to complete the project on time and on budget. Kick-off for the project began with a charette held at the site on January 28-30, 2009. Through the collaborative effort of all parties, discussions and ideas were brought out to address all aspects of planning and design of the project.
The electrical and communication design are particularly challenging for this project, based on the fact this portion of the infrastructure must be designed and installed prior to any building construction beginning. This task requires close coordination with the client to insure all their needs are met while providing a design which meets the current and expected future needs of the LA ARNG.
The design of the emergency distribution system of the project is underway and includes parallel 500KW diesel generators along with the associated paralleling system, 5,000 gallon diesel fuel storage tank and automatic transfer switch.
Present communication design provides approximately 15,000 feet of 144 single mode fiber cables and over 6,000 feet of 600 pair copper telephone cables, both installed in a system of conduit and manholes for easy access. Over 2,100 single mode fiber terminations and over 1,100 telephone pairs will be terminated before the project infrastructure is complete.
Due to the allocation and timing of Federal funding, the design schedule has been accelerated and the 35% design package is due to the Client on March 20, 2009 with the anticipated advertisement of the construction package to be June 1, 2009. This is a challenging project and design schedule, however, Forte and Tablada, Inc. is excited to be part of the team and is up to the task.
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