b'RUNWAYSSTJ 47sources. The National Guard Bureau fundedColonel Matt Neil, civil about 65% of the cost and FAA Airportengineer with the 139th PHOTO: COURTESY OF WOOLPERTImprovement Program grants covered $9.2Airlift Wing. As a million. The Missouri Aviation Trust Fundresult, the military pays paid $500,000 with another $500,000 locala higher portion of the match from the city of St. Joseph. Thecost for the runway collaborative funding allowed STJ to affordreconstruction since a solution with a longer lifespan. We got athese requirements areLT COL MATT NEILbrand-new runway instead of a patch job ornot mandatory for the a resurface, Rice says. civilian aircraft that use the airport. With the need for a complete overhaulThe runway was designed with higher-established, efforts to secure fundinggrade materials to extend its lifespan and began in 2018. To accomplish theenhance durability. For instance, granite was project, STJ partnered with Woolpert forthe main coarse aggregate in the concrete engineering and Ideker as the generalsince it is more resilient than traditional contractor. Woolpert has been workinglimestone runway aggregate. Because there with STJ for 15 years on various projectsare no local granite pits near STJ, material and Ideker for eight years. The projectwas brought in by rail from Oklahoma. was bid in August 2022; constructionConcrete was batched on-site at an average began in April 2023 and was completed inof more than 300 cubic yards per hour November 2023. while crews placed pavement. This allowed Project Scope and Materials Ideker to maximize every summer that required emergencyThe full reconstruction involved removingproduction and quality, repairs. It had deteriorated to the pointapproximately 30 inches of concrete,notes Cody Phillips, where it was affecting some pilots landinginstalling a new under-drain system to divertIdeker vice president strategies. The smaller general aviationwater from the subgrade and creating aand project manager planes would actually avoid the centerlinecement-treated subgrade. Two separate liftson the STJ project.CODY PHILLIPSbecause [the damaged pavement] wouldnt be good for their smaller tires, Rice recalls.were applied, followed by a drainable base Our tenants would land left or right ofcourse and a cement-treated base. center line, just to save their airplanes. This foundation allowed for a 12-inch concrete section on top, saving costs Recognizing the need for a morewhile ensuring durability, for a total of 24 permanent solution, the city, FAA andinches of cement-treated subgrade. National Guard collaborated on a pavement exploration project. Initial hopes were toWorking with its geotechnical replace only the top 8 inches of concrete,engineers, the Woolpert team specifiedLEADER OFbut testing revealed that water from thecement for structural integrity and nearby Missouri Riverdurability. [Cement] gives it a harderAIRFIELDsubgrade that allows you to then build and Browning Lakeon top of and have a little bit thinnerCLEANINGhad caused too much damage. It deterioratedpavement section up top, so it gives thatSOLUTIONSthe subgrade to a pointstructural integrity, Scherr comments. With the water tables as high as theyImproving Performance,where it just wasnt ablePrioritizing Safety, Driving Costto hold up to the weightwere, we werent just worried aboutEfficiency, and PromotingSustainability at airportsof the C-130s thatsoils that expanded, which is what limeworldwide.KEVIN SCHERR typically treats, but cement actually doesOur Products:were constantly taking off and using it, notes Kevin Scherr, projectreally well with water, and it wouldntRunway Rubber Removerdeteriorate as fast. Paint Removersmanager with Woolpert. Given the extent ofMold and Mildew Removersthe damage, leaders decided to reconstructThe Air National Guards involvementConcrete & Building Cleanersthe entire runway. drove the higher specifications. ManyRust Removers & Aircraft Cleanersmilitary aircraft that use the airportFree Trial Samples on all ProductsCollaborative Approach require a longer and deeper runway The $29 million project got off the groundthan what is typically required for with cooperation and funding from severalcivilian aircraft, notes LieutenantCall Us Visit Our Website540-450-8375 www.aerogreen.usAirportImprovement.comNovember | December 2024'