WRA has been contracted by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) as the prime consultant to design six army training ranges at Fort Carson, Colorado. Merrick, AMEC and R. Ward and Associates are primary sub-consultants for this contract. The individual ranges are uniquely different, and provide combat training scenarios including close range pistol combat, urban building assault, long range machine gun and sniper fire, and armed vehicle convoy engagements. Project links for individual ranges are listed below:
WRA maintains the role as Program/Project Manager and oversees all coordination between the many disciplines that make up the design team, including geotechnical, architectural, electrical , structural, and mechanical designers. WRA’s specific tasks include mass grading of hundreds of acres to ensure adequate down-range line-of-site for weapon fire and drainage, as well as site design for range operation areas that include support buildings such as range control towers, restrooms, meal facilities, classroom, ammo breakdown buildings, storage areas, spectator areas, and parking/facilities. Site design considerations include water and sewer infrastructure for each range. Environmental and stormwater requirements implemented by both the USACE and Fort Carson are critical components considered during design. WRA has coordinated extensively with USACE and Fort Carson representatives to ensure that environmental impacts are minimized for each range design. Additionally, BMPs for stormwater, including avoidance of major drainage features have been incorporated into the designs. WRA has developed unique modifications to standard range target layouts to reduce conflicts with existing wetlands and streams, and has worked with Range Control Staff to minimize down-range access roads that may impact natural systems.