According to Airports Council International-North America (AIC-NA), U.S. airports generate an astounding $1.1 trillion-plus in annual economic activity and support nearly 10 million jobs. Passenger flow through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), and other aviation facilities continues to grow at a record pace. Outdated aviation infrastructure is finding it very difficult to keep pace with overwhelming demand – not only for service but for excellence.

Houston Airports (HAS) is proactively seeking to be the exception, rather than the norm.

Robert Barker, Chief Infrastructure Officer at HAS, said, “We fully recognize that significant infrastructure needs have to be properly addressed in order for us to remain competitive in the global marketplace. We are actively working to ensure that our facilities not only meet but exceed demands for increased capacity and optimum efficiency.”

As IAH approaches its 50^th year of existence in 2019, Barker and his staff continually assess and address needed improvements on the sprawling nearly 11,000-acre property.

Chad McGhee, Construction Manager, recently discussed the progress on one such important project at IAH, the rehabilitation of Taxiways WA and WB. McGhee has more than 30 years of professional construction experience and has been with HAS Infrastructure for 18 months.

“IAH originally undertook a rehabilitation project several years’ back for Taxiways WA and WB, along with several connector taxiways and multiple connector taxilanes to one of the western complex’ runways (west side of IAH),” McGhee said. Unforeseen construction issues kept those taxiways closed for several years.

“Flatiron Construction is working with us as the Prime Contractor.,” McGhee said, “We are diligently working with them and their team of subcontractors to reopen WA.  With City Council approval, the reconstruction of WB will follow the opening of WA.”

The ongoing full-depth reconstruction of Taxiway WA includes:

• The reconstruction of over 2 miles on Taxiway WA
• Widening of Taxiway WA to Airplane Design Group (ADG) VI criteria (162ft wingspan)
• Including connector taxiways between Taxiway WB and Runway 15L-33R
• Widening of the pavement shoulder along affected taxiways
• Removal of midway taxiways not in use to improve drainage and reduce pavement footprint
• A subsurface drainage system for all new pavement sections
• Upgrade Taxiway pavement lighting system to LED and reduce electrical usage
• Updated airfield signage to current standards and LED lighting
• Complete Surface Movement Guidance and Control System in order to bring this system on-line in this portion of the west complex.

The full-depth reconstruction of Taxiway WA that would achieve Group VI status includes widening the taxiway and shoulders to accommodate larger aircraft such as the Airbus 380.

Construction is due to be completed and the Taxiway fully operational in the third quarter of 2019.

“Right now, “McGhee said, “the Team is focused on demolition – we must demolish up to three separate layers of pavement, all the way down through the subgrade. We will get down to the natural dirt and build up from there. We are demolishing roughly 45 inches of total thickness and we will build it back to the HAS current standards.”

McGhee said that the next steps will be to lime-stabilize the subgrade, then return with embankment fill and build it back up to the paving.

Barker said that multiple projects are planned and scheduled to be undertaken as the HAS’s two 4-star airports (according to Skytrax, an international air transport rating organization) continue to “build for the future.”

Another major upcoming undertaking is a Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project at IAH, according to Cynthia Straughan, Assistant Director, Infrastructure Construction.

Straughan said the Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project involves replacing a section of sanitary sewer line that extends from the Passenger Terminal A to a lift station southwest of the Airport. The sanitary line extends southwest under the Terminal A ramp and Taxiway WB to the unpaved area between Taxiway WA and Runway 15L-33R, and will be installed using a trenchless technology which avoids any runway shutdowns.

Project stakeholders considered a number of alternatives before settling on a design that essentially parallels the existing sewer line with a 24-inch diameter replacement line encased in a 42” diameter steel pipe for secondary containment and installed at a depth of approximately 20 feet below grade. Construction is scheduled to start in the second quarter of 2019. 

The improvements do not stop with these projects. There is another $250 million in airfield improvements planned over the next four years, according to Straughan.