b'RUNWAYSSBN53One Phase Per YearThe five-year project was divided into five phases, labeled A through E. Work began on the west end of Taxiway B and moved east toward the terminal, temporarily closing the crosswind runway. We just repeated that for the next two years so we could get all the commercial ramp completed, explains PatrickPATRICK MAC CARTHAIGHMac Carthaigh, vice president of Operations at SBN. Then we went eastbound from there and completed the project this summer. Scheduling and phasing the project to reduce operational impacts as airlines added more flights and capacity required careful planning. That was a challenge as we got into construction, Mac Carthaigh recalls. During the transition, SBN adopted a gate management system, AeroCloud, to provide maximum scheduling flexibility for the Ops teams, Daigle notes. There was a learning curve as SBN airlines transitioned to common-use gates, but the airport has continued to realize operational benefits. Weve enter a controlled area, which hamperedDaigle says. It became apparent fairlyupgraded it since our initial rollout, and its general maneuverability and caused seriousquickly that with our primary east-westworking very well, Mac Carthaigh reports. safety concerns. As operations haverunway and the parallel taxiway, there[AeroCloud] gives them flexibility that they increased, mainline aircraft could only bereally were very few options. otherwise never had. accommodated on two gates at the end ofAs a result, the team outlined the the building, limiting the airports growth.following project scope:Leveling the FieldAs if that wasnt enough of a challenge,Geometry changes to decouple theOne of the biggest challenges on SBNs pavement that sloped toward the terminalapron and taxiway for improved safety airfield was sloping pavement on the caused traction issues for aircraft, tugsStormwater network/drainagecommercial ramp. At some points, the and ground handlers when water and iceimprovements elevation varied by several feet. accumulated on the apron.Aircraft deicing improvements:The slopes were Thanks to the recently completed project,centralized location, glycol collection pretty steep, sloping mainline aircraft and larger regional jets Aircraft gate parking improvements:back toward the can now use any gate. Additionally, a newincreased fleet mix, slopebuilding, explains centralized deicing pad allows for moreimprovements Paul Shaffer, PE, efficient operations and glycol collection.executive vicePavement condition improvementspresident with Butler, In 2016, Mead & Hunt worked hand- Originally proposed as a three-yearFairman & Seufert.PAUL SHAFFERin-hand with the airport and FAA on aconstruction project, cost and theThis not only caused feasibility study to identify and evaluateavailability of federal funding extended thedrainage problems, it also allowed ice potential alternatives for SBN. We didschedule over five construction seasons.to form around the gates during winter, review a couple possibilities and set onPhases were carefully planned to minimizemaking it difficult for tugs to push back the one that made [the airfield] betterthe impact on operations.airplanes and dangerous for baggage operationally and safer for everybody, AirportImprovement.comMarch | April 2026'