USAF selects CH2M to design runway repairs

The U.S. Air Force selected CH2M as lead designer for repairs to the runway at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. The base is home to the U.S. Strategic Command, the 557th Weather Wing and the 55th Wing of the Air Combat Command. The 55th Wing provides dominant intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; electronic attack; command and control; and precision awareness to national leadership and warfighters across the spectrum.

The 11,703-by-300-foot runway serves approximately 30 unique strategic reconnaissance, command and observation aircrafts at the base. This includes four RC-135 variants, the E-4B fleet of modified Boeing 747s that serve as the National Airborne Operations Center to provide command-and-control communications to U.S. forces in times of national emergency and the E-6B Mercury airborne command post and communications relay aircraft.

As lead engineer, CH2M is completing a comprehensive investigation to implement a design of the repair for Runway 12-30, the NW Holding Apron and the Mass Parking Apron pavements. The scope of the services to support sustainment, restoration and modernization will include:

• Environmental analysis, temporary relocation and beddown planning.
• Engineering investigation and design for the preparation of three design-bid-build packages at Offutt Air Force Base and the temporary relocation site at the Lincoln Airport.
• Construction phase project administration, testing and inspection services.

"Aviation—specifically military aviation—is a specialty that requires focus and experience to implement safe and reliable airfield systems," said Tim Byers, CH2M's Senior Vice President. "Our team is looking forward to providing a path forward to restore the airfield pavements in a sustainable manner to meet the critical mission needs of Offutt AFB and USSTRATCOM."

CH2M's top-flight military design practices focus on preserving and improving vital mission infrastructure and national security interests. Over the past decade, CH2M delivered more than $350 million in design services for the military, including numerous military airfield projects, such as the repairs to runways at Edwards, Hill and Wright-Patterson Air Force Bases and design of a new parallel runway at Osan Air Base.