DTW Runway 3L/21R and Centralized Deicing Facility

Project Highlights:

  • 584,000 square yards of 17” Concrete Pavement
  • 474,000 tons of Hot Mix Asphalt
  • Recipient of the ACPA Excellence in Commercial Service & Military Airports Gold Award Winner and Envision Gold from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure

What We Did

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..

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Tight timeframes. Specialized design. Demanding safety requirements. Repaving and reconstructing airport runways is one of the most challenging types of construction. Ajax Paving is one of the few contractors in the U.S. with the expertise and experience to handle these technically-sophisticated jobs.

Over the last 25 years, Ajax has placed more than 4.5 million cubic yards of concrete runways. Our expert crews, a fleet of advanced equipment, and precise concrete mix technology enable us to meet unique complexities, specifications, and qualifications required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

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