b'56 SBN RUNWAYSFunding and Forecasts Weather and the need to leave the airfield in operating Jeff Thoman, senior project manager withcondition between phases also played a significant role during Mead & Hunt, says the uncertainty of FAAproject planning. We couldnt have taxiways or connectors funding levels from year to year created aclosed through the winter, and certainly not runways closed puzzle that required the team to be adaptable,through the winter, Thoman explains. flexible and creative. For each phase of theThis required a lot of iterations of project phases to maximize project, the team developed multiple bidboth funding and favorable weather conditions. options to allow quick reaction and decision- JEFF THOMANmaking if funding levels changed. [TheWe worked through it with constant communication with the airport] wanted us to have something ready to go in case late-yearairport and the ability to remain flexible, Thoman recalls. The money was provided to them, Thoman explains. It became reallyFAA was also a great partner. challenging to figure out.The team was closely integrated to ensure all stakeholders had a voice at the table when it came to decision making, he adds.Communication both ways was critical, Daigle emphasizes. Sharing more than less is better, and you need to provide a way for people to come back with questions. Despite a proactive spring construction start, the project faced Indianas unpredictable spring weather. And much of the work relied on ground being accessible. That meant some years work pushed into October, competing with busier-than-usual operations during college football weekends. We might have private aircraft landing every four minutesseemingly non-stop, Mac Carthaigh recalls. And we were eliminating taxiway entrances to the terminal apron to avoid that direct access issue. Clear and consistent communication, including pre-season planning meetings, helped facilitate safe and efficient operations even when Notre Dame (just minutes away from SBN) had home games. We believe in solid communication and working with our partners, Mac Carthaigh says, noting the importance for Air Traffic Control, airlines, fixed-base operators, and other stakeholders to have a clear understanding of processes throughout the ever-evolving project. Beyond delivering the safety and efficiency gains, the taxiway realignment is opening up new revenue opportunities for SBN. A space on the east side of the airfield, adjacent to Taxiway B, is now being considered for future aeronautical development. Its not finalized what were going to do, but it could be multiple aviation uses, which it was not before, Mac Carthaigh says. Our airfield construction is continuously ongoing as we continue to modernize and update, Daigle adds.March | April 2026AirportImprovement.com'