b'RUNWAYSSTJ 49139th Airlift Wing. Part of the project included replacing pipes17-35 and 13-31, using the same pavement system. And FAA took under the parking apron where our C-130 Hercules aircraft park,the opportunity to upgrade the navigational aids on Runway 17-35. but we were able to work around that portion of the project. The surrounding stormwater infrastructure was also overhauled. Although officially a five-phase project, the two runway phasesEdge drains were added along the sides to carry water away were the primary focus. Phase Three modified a service vehiclefrom the pavement. Thousands of feet of 6-inch solid and 6-inch road on the south side to remove it from the runways obstacle- perforated N-12 high-density polyethylene piping was installed, free area. Previously, the Missouri River flowed around it, creatingnotes Josh Herchl, director of municipal markets for Advanced somewhat of an island. By using rubble from the runway project,Drainage Systems Inc. New pipes were installed on a stable base project designers were able to extend the footprint of the islandto prevent backflow that previously occurred during storms, and and move the road outside the obstacle-free zone. Now airportthe area around the runway was re-graded to further improve vehicles can use the road without obtaining clearance fromdrainage. the control tower. Phase Four involved grooving and remarkingThe project also involved building a new electrical vault for Runway 17-35. Phase Five corrected drainage and included newairfield lighting. The previous vault was landside, so the new reinforced concrete pipe and inlets.midfield location requires less wiring between the vault and lights. So, if something goes wrong, troubleshooting is easier, Rice Sustainability Efforts notes. Another benefit is updated and accurate diagrams, which While runway projects have limited opportunities to use greenwill aid maintenance in the future.building practices or materials, STJ rubblized the existing runway material instead of removing and hauling it away. Concrete wasBenefits for Userspulverized with a ROTO-MILL, and much was repurposed as aA reconstructed runway can provide significant benefits for any base layer beneath the new runway. Ideker recycled about 200,000airport, such as increased capacity and safety, Phillips notes. This pounds of steel from the reinforcing pieces and dowel bars in theleads to smoother operations, especially during peak travel times, broken pavement. enhancing overall efficiency, he says. A new runway can support Although the rubblized material wasnt suitable for use aslarger or more advanced aircraft, enabling the airport to attract new aggregate in the top layers of the new runway, using it for the baseairlines or routes, which boosts tourism and business travel.layer and in other projects reduced the need for new materials and mitigated the overall environmental impact of the project. This not only saved money but also contributed to the durability of the runway by creating a stable foundation for the new pavement.Rubblized material was also used to widen a gravel road in an area used for C-130 airdrops. The wider road makes it easier for crews to retrieve materials dropped during training. We still have a pile of [rubblized material] that were working on slowly getting out of here, Rice remarks. But as you can imagine, completely reconstructing a runway all the way down 4 1/2 feet creates a pretty big pile of leftovers.In addition to repurposing the rubble, the use of cement in this project had a significantly smaller carbon footprint compared to runway pavement materials and methods used 20 years ago, he adds. The runway project also incorporated more than 300 new LED runway edge lights. Although its too early to measure the full impact of this upgrade, Rice is optimistic about the resulting energy savings over time.Guiding Airports Additional UpgradesToward The Future.During the reconstruction project, the Guard updated Taxiway D, which connects runwayswoolpert.comDesign, Geospatial, Strategic Consulting. 800.414.1045AirportImprovement.comNovember | December 2024'