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AirportImprovement.com      October 2026
AIRFIELD MAINTENANCE 
BHM | FAT | LAA | SCX | SGU | SKX 
have had to close the crosswind runway until funding for 
rehabilitation could be procured.”
Manning says this case at LAA illustrates how 
preservation can help airports bridge the gap until funding is 
available. “It shows that we can slow down the deterioration 
of pavements and extend out the inevitable—which is 
a costly rehab or, in Lamar’s case, a very expensive 
reconstruction,” he remarks.
Fresno Yosemite International (FAT) 
faced a similar challenge in 2021. The 
California airport needed to stabilize 
a runway with severe weathering and 
raveling until reconstruction funding 
became available. “We considered 
mill and overlay and reconstruction,” 
recalls Heath Hildebrandt, engineer with 
Kimley-Horn. “Ultimately, we ended 
milling and overlaying the really bad keel section and sealing 
the other areas [with P-608].” 
In his experience, P-608 preservation treatment is a cost-
effective way to stabilize deteriorating runway pavement and 
reduce associated foreign object debris. At FAT, Hildebrandt 
BEFORE
AFTER
HEATH HILDEBRANDT
PHOTO: COLORADO DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION DIVISION OF AERONAUTICS
PHOTO: COLORADO DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION DIVISION OF AERONAUTICS
The difference after P-608H treatment is evident 
at Southeast Colorado Regional. 

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