BH has provided a variety of architectural and engineering services for the following airports, and others, since the mid-1980s. The projects below are just a small representation of our aviation-related experience.
Harrisburg International Airport, PA
Old Terminal Apron Pavement Rehabilitation
The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) retained BH to provide construction contract administration and resident project representative services for rehabilitation of the old terminal apron. The construction work included cleaning and resealing of approximately 56,200 LF of existing contraction and expansion joints in concrete pavement, 460 LF of crack repair, and 1,000 SF of full-depth concrete slab replacement.
Cargo Apron Rehabilitation – Phase I
BH provided design, bidding, contract award services, and contract administration services for pavement rehabilitation of the cargo apron. The work included cleaning and sealing approximately 200,000 LF of construct, contraction, and expansion joints; patching of 2,500 SF of spalled concrete; replacing a 9,500-SF full-depth concrete slab; replacing approximately 1,200 LF of taxiway centerline lighting; and rehabilitating a large trench drain.
Cargo carrier operations on this apron could not be interrupted, necessitating the development of a very detailed Construction Safety/Phasing Plan allowing carriers to operate safely with minimal disruption during construction.
Rehabilitation of Taxiway A
Realignment of the airport’s parallel taxiway, Taxiway A, resulted in undermining existing concrete pavement slabs at two locations where new bituminous pavement joined the existing concrete pavement. The undermining led to cracking and/or settlement of the slabs and the necessity of replacing them. Replacement of the slabs with new Portland cement concrete required lengthy shutdown of the west end of the taxiway, resulting in the need for aircraft to back-taxi on the runway, a condition SARAA found to be unacceptable. Therefore, the slabs were replaced by bituminous concrete pavement, greatly reducing the shutdown period. The work required replacement of in-pavement runway centerline lights, cable, and conduit.
BH provided full design phase services; bidding phase services; and construction phase services, including a resident project representative.
Rehabilitate Terminal Apron – Phase III
BH provided construction contract administration and resident project representative services for the rehabilitation of the passenger terminal apron. The construction work included cleaning and resealing approximately 95,200 LF of existing contraction and expansion joints in concrete pavement, 460 LF of crack repair, and 1,300 SY of bituminous pavement milling and overlay paving.
Airline operations on this apron could not be interrupted, necessitating the development of a very detailed Construction Safety/Phasing Plan to allow airlines to operate safely with minimal disruption during construction.
Capital City Airport, New Cumberland, PA
Taxiway and Apron Rehabilitation
Three projects were developed to rehabilitate the taxiway system and apron areas of the Capital City Airport. The rehabilitation consisted of limited areas of full-depth pavement reconstruction and some areas of ½-inch to 2-inch thick overlay, while other areas required only the application of a coal tar emulsion sealcoat. A Safety/Phasing Plan was developed in order to maintain airport operations with minimal disruption.
Runway 8/26 Rehabilitation, Phases I and II
The project consisted of milling approximately three inches from the runway surface and placing a one-inch-thick leveling course of bituminous pavement, followed by a final two-inch thick overlay. The leveling course was placed under strict grade control in order to correct minor deficiencies in longitudinal and transverse grade of the runway surface. Following completion of the overlay pavement, control joints were sawcut along the runway centerline and transversely at 60-foot intervals. The joints were sealed using backer rod and an approved joint sealing compound. After allowing a 30-day period for complete curing of the pavement, the surface was grooved and the final painting of runway markings was accomplished.
As Runway 8 is the airport’s precision instrument runway and serves significant jet traffic, the project was constructed in phases to allow completion of segments of the work during nine-hour nighttime closures of the entire airport with the stipulation it be open and ready for use, including runway 8/26, by 6:00 AM each day.
Update Airport Master Plan
BH was retained by the SARAA to update the Airport Master Plan for the Capital City Airport. The scope of work included surveying and mapping to establish an airport GIS and an electronic Airport Layout Plan (e-ALP) in accordance with FAA Advisory Circulars (AC) 150/5300-16a; -17b; and 18b. The scope also consisted of reviewing and updating the aircraft operations forecast and fleet mix, configuring and running the integrated noise model to determine the 65 dB noise contour, reviewing the airport runway and taxiway geometry and comparing it to the design standards of FAA AC 150/5300-13A, and reviewing airport property for future development.
Franklin County Regional Airport, Chambersburg, PA
Airport Condition Assessment
The SARAA retained BH to assess the condition of the Chambersburg Municipal Airport in order to determine if it was feasible and prudent to purchase the airport. A study was completed and a report submitted giving a general understanding of the condition of the airport, including pavement surfaces; airfield signage, markings, and lighting; buildings; and utilities systems. The study also presented the current level of planning and the existing financial and operational conditions found. The assessment presented a favorable situation, resulting in SARAA’s purchase of the airport. Under the new ownership, the airport was renamed Franklin County Regional Airport.
Airport Action Plan
Upon purchasing the Chambersburg Municipal Airport, the SARAA asked BH to develop an Airport Action Plan, a scaled down Master Plan. The purpose of the Action Plan was to thoroughly evaluate the airport and its mission and develop a detailed plan to allow that mission to be fulfilled. The Action Plan augmented an earlier facilities assessment of the airport. BH actively involved representatives of the local community as a Study Advisory Group to help guide the planning effort. The major elements of the Action Plan included preparing an Airport Layout Plan set and developing a 12-Year Capital Improvement Plan.
Runway 6/24 Pavement Rehabilitation
BH prepared plans and specifications and provided construction contract and resident project representative services to mill out cracks, patch the milled areas, and place a two-inch-thick asphalt overlay of the entire paved area.
Major project elements included:
- Repairing wide (>1.25 inches in width) cracks in the runway, taxiway, and west apron and placement of full-width, two-inch thick overlay
- Reconstructing the east apron
- Removing and replacing tie-down anchors in the aprons
- Marking of the new surface
Runway Safety Area Improvements
The project was undertaken to improve the runway safety area to comply with FAA requirements, remove the terrain obstruction along the north side of the runway, and reconstruct and expand the run-up pads at each end of the runway.
Material excavated from the hillside was be used to construct the embankment required to bring the runway safety area to the proper grades and to construct embankment for future expansion of the west apron and a taxiway connecting the west apron to the Runway 6 approach end.
Transportation
