Ajax in Action: Airport Runway Concrete Paving Contractor
Runway 3L/21R is one of two primary departure runways located adjacent to both the North and McNamara Terminals at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Due to the high volumes of outbound traffic in Detroit, the reconstruction of Runway 3L/21R and its Associated Taxiways was of utmost importance for Wayne County Airport Authority. Tight time restrictions and phasing plans were implemented to ensure the least amount of impact to the Airport Authorities tenants. Complementing the runway project was the new Centralized Deicing Facility that allowed airlines to decrease taxiing times to and from the new runway. Between the two, Ajax placed 584,000 square yards of 17” P-501 concrete while utilizing 37.5’ and 40’ paving lanes, along with utilizing two double drum Erie Strayer batch plants. Despite the two-year project being built during the Covid-19 Pandemic, Ajax and the A-Team of essential workers got the work done in 18 work phases. Awards for the project included a Gold from ACPA for the Commercial Service & Military Airports category, and Envision Gold from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure.. With prime contractor Kamminga & Roodvoets, Inc, Ajax Paving is laying 16” Portland Concrete Cement Pavement on CTB for FAA Specifications. Coleman A. Young Airport is primarily used for personal aircraft, business planes, and helicopters. The Taxiway A reconstruction project proved especially challenging because the airport had to remain open during the project to accommodate air traffic for high-profile events in Detroit, such as Monday Night Football and MLB playoff games. We completed the project in multiple phases. The project required the most advanced GPS grade control for both grading and paving operations on the existing deep-strength asphalt taxiway (measuring between 10 and 14 inches of asphalt). Four inches of asphalt was milled off, with the remaining asphalt pulverized, reshaped, and compacted back to 100 percent density. The project involved placing 4 inches of asphalt in two lifts, totaling approximately 25,000 tons. This project reconstructed Runway 4-22 at Grosse Ile Municipal Airport. This included removal of the existing composite pavement on the 4,850-foot runway, drainage improvements, aggregate base installation, HMA P-401 installation, lighting/electrical upgrades, and restoration. The P-401 mixture was designed for aircraft with gross weights of less than 60,000 pounds or tire pressures less than 100 psi. A total of 11,210 tons of P-401 was installed (4 inches of P-401 in two 2-inch thick courses) on the 75-foot wide runway. The same mix design was used for both courses. Stringent PWL parameters were a part of the specification that measured mat density, joint density air voids, stability, and flow. Continual focus and dedication to quality in all aspects of the project enabled the team to achieve exceptional results. Ajax delivered a product of the highest quality that met or exceeded all project requirements. Due to its importance to air traffic in southeastern Michigan, the reconstruction of Runway 4L/22R at Detroit Metro Airport was the greatest challenge facing the Wayne County Airport Authority in recent years. The project would require nearly 450,000 square yards of 18.5-inch PCCP, making it the largest U.S. airport concrete pavement project constructed of 2016. Runway 4L/22R is 10,000 feet long and 150 feet wide. Its high use required the Airport Authority to "Fast Track" the design and construction. Typically, it is used for aircraft arrivals and can accommodate operations in low-visibility conditions, making it critical to the airport's operational efficiency and business continuity. The project also involved the reconstruction of the associated taxiway system, providing a safe connection for aircraft from the runway to the passenger terminals.
DTW Runway 3L/21R and Centralized Deicing Facility
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Gerald R. Ford International Airport Terminal Reconstruction
What We Did: Gerald R. Ford Airport Terminal Paving Project
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Coleman A. Young Airport
What We Did: Coleman A. Young Airport Paving
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Grosse Ile Municipal Airport: Runway 4-22 Reconstruction
What We Did
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DTW Runway 4L/22R and Associated Taxiways
What We Did
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