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RUNWAYS  
October 2026      AirportImprovement.com
VNY
“It was like a constant game that we played with the 
website to make sure it was digestible and understandable 
to the stakeholders,” Yas Barker says. “But we found that 
overexplaining was always better than underexplaining.” 
Engineering Around the Unexpected
Operational challenges were only part of the puzzle. The project 
team also encountered physical conditions that required modifying 
the construction approach. The subgrade was poor enough that 
it needed stabilization, prompting RS&H to make two changes to 
its reconstruction plans. Rather than use chemical stabilization, 
which would have required a seven-day curing period, engineers 
opted for mechanical stabilization. By placing geotextile fabric 
first, crews could immediately build the pavement section on top. 
And, instead of specifying two aggregate materials for the 2½-foot 
thick pavement section, RS&H opted for a single higher-quality 
aggregate between the geotextile fabric and asphalt.
“This approach allowed us to limit the complexity, so the 
contractor was able to build it quicker using a uniform material,” 
Leung explains. “It saved them from having two different 
stockpiles of aggregate materials that each had to be approved 
and tested separately.”
Taxiway Q presented another challenge 
because it sits over the tunnel where 
Sherman Way, a four-lane arterial road, 
passes the airfield underneath.
“The main issue was that we didn’t know 
the exact thickness of the pavement on top 
of the tunnel,” Lazarevic explains. “So, with 
any boring or milling of that surface, the goal 
was always not to touch the structure of the 
tunnel itself.”
The team conducted additional test 
cores to establish the tunnel’s location and 
had inspectors monitor pavement removal. 
Because the pavement above the tunnel 
was much thinner than the typical pavement 
section, the work could be completed 
during nighttime closures, with the taxiway 
recovered and regraded before reopening 
each morning.
Beyond the Construction 
Footprint
With so much complex orchestration of 
construction activity on the airfield, the project 
team had to remain constantly aware of 
potential ripple effects. This was especially 
true when the runway was shortened. 
Chavez says the team initially focused 
heavily on the construction footprint and 
whether aircraft could safely clear the work 
area. But changing the runway configuration 
also changed where aircraft were otherwise 
operating, taxiing and parking. “We had to 
make sure to look outside of that bubble,” he 
explains.
The team also learned the value of 
creating opportunities for contractors to work 
out construction issues before entering the 
most operationally sensitive areas. The “test 
runs” on taxiways C and D, for instance, 
set up success for both major construction 
phases before crews began work that 
required runway closures.
Teri and Blueberry may have nine lives, but they know you only get one
shot at Day One. That’s why readiness has to start early: with planning,
testing, coordination, and every moving part prepared before doors open.
We identify readiness gaps before they become problems, resolve issues
while there’s still time to act, and align people, processes, systems, and
spaces for a confident opening.
From planning through activation, we make sure Day One is the result,
not the test.
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I N T R O D U C I N G  C H R Y S A L I S ’
UN
OFFICIAL FELINE FIELD UNIT
Teri and Blueberry report for duty
No balls dropped. She’s got a
nose for loose ends.
From dry run to hot wash, they take
a full-cycle approach to operational
readiness.
project meow-bilization team
Trials & simulations lead
She fine-tunes every
detail so Day One starts
on the right note.
Teri
Blueberry
Punch list inspector
He’ll find every hole in
the system—and dive in
headfirst.
Because a seamless Day One
doesnʼt happen by accident.
ORAT  ·  PROCESS OPTIMIZATION  ·  RELOCATION  ·  TRIALS AND SIMULATIONS 
PLANNING MAKES 
PURR-FECT
Chrysalis gets ahead of the work so
Day One doesnʼt get ahead of you.

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