26 AIRFIELD MAINTENANCE October 2026 AirportImprovement.com BHM | FAT | LAA | SCX | SGU | SKX Airport owners and operators are increasingly adopting pavement preservation strategies that extend the service life of asphalt runways, taxiways and aprons. In doing so, they also help delay costly rehabilitation and reconstruction projects. The growing emphasis on proactive preservation coincides with the pending release of FAA Advisory Circular 150/5370-10J, Standards for Specifying Construction of Airports, which will update the agency’s pavement preservation specifications. By the time distress is visible on airfield asphalt surfaces, deterioration has likely been well underway for years. Rather than waiting for visible signs of deterioration to develop, many airports are incorporating preservation treatments much earlier in a pavement’s life cycle to slow oxidation, maintain pavement condition and maximize the return on significant infrastructure investments. Three strategies in particular are becoming more common: • Sealing newly constructed pavement before significant oxidation occurs; • Using rapid-cure preservation materials during overnight closures to minimize operational disruptions at busy commercial airports; and • Applying preservation treatments to extend the service life of structurally sound pavements with lower Pavement Condition Indices due to high weathering or raveling while working to secure funds for major rehabilitation. All three approaches reflect a shift toward long-term management rather than reacting after deterioration becomes apparent. Several factors have contributed to this shift over recent years, including substantial increases in construction costs and longer planning, review and funding cycles for rehabilitation projects. At the same time, however, airports are expected to maintain safe, reliable airfields with minimal disruption to operations. Dustin Warren, airport manager at St. George Regional (SGU) in Utah, says his experience as an airport maintenance supervisor and airport manager has fundamentally changed how he views pavement preservation. From the maintenance perspective, Warren focused on pavement performance, material behavior and construction timing. As an airport manager, however, he sees pavement as a capital asset tied to FAA funding cycles, regulatory compliance, operational risk and airport revenue. “Preservation is infinitely cheaper than reconstruction,” he emphasizes. Waiting for pavement to fail turns what could have been a relatively low-cost maintenance decision into a major capital project that can take years to fund and complete. The financial advantages become even more compelling when airports view preservation as a long-term process rather than a one-time maintenance activity, says Jared Manning, a regional manager with Asphalt Systems Inc. “Rehabilitation is 10 times the cost of preservation, and Airports Share Methods for Preserving Asphalt to Extend Runway Life BY KRISTEN RINDFLEISCH
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