$11.7M Stimulus Grant Funds Phoenix Taxiway Project

Sky Harbor project generating 285 local jobs

Passengers flying to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport will get where they’re going faster with the help of an $11.7 million grant provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Taxiway C Project will create nearly 285 local jobs, according to the Phoenix Department of Aviation, and is expected to be completed in February 2010.

“This particular project enhances our north airfield making it easier and faster for planes to enter and exit Sky Harbor's north runway,” said Claire Simeone Stern, a spokeswoman for the aviation department. “This will mean shorter taxi times for passengers whose flights are utilizing the north runway.”

In the spring, the Taxiway C Project was originally slated to receive only $10.5 million in stimulus funds. However, after close examination, the federal government increased the amount to $11.7 million. Although the project started in July 2009, the city began an extensive competitive procurement process for a contractor manager at risk for this project in 2005.

“Sky Harbor is always looking for ways to improve our airfield and increase our level of customer service,” said Stern. “We have had a number of shovel-ready projects ready to go. Without the federal stimulus funding we would not have been able to afford to do this project.”

While six companies bid for the position, Ames Construction won the selection for the project. With an Ames office conveniently located in Arizona, 100 percent of the subcontractors on this job are locally based. Out of the 285 newly created jobs, 100 to 150 will be construction workers such as pavers, excavators, surveyors, heavy machine operators, concrete manufacturers, concrete contractors, electricians, underground utility workers, stripers, truckers, safety engineers, and testing technicians. The remaining positions are program management and design.

At 2,200 linear feet of 75-feet wide center pavement, the new taxiway will also include 35-foot wide safety shoulders on both sides of the new pavement. The Taxiway C Project will also change the area into a Group 5 Category taxiway meaning it will be able to handle aircraft as large as a Boeing 747 or an Airbus 340. The new taxiway will run from the existing C-3 taxiway connector to the existing C-4 taxiway connector, giving pilots a quicker and easier option for getting to and from Sky Harbor's north runway.

“This is not just an airfield upgrade,” said Stern. “It is an improvement in our customer service and convenience. It enables passengers to get to and from their gates and destinations more quickly.”

Edge lighting, centerline conduit, drainage, grading and other modifications to comply with Federal Aviation Administration standards are also being implemented in this phase of the project. Upon completion, Taxiway C will be 20-inches thick concrete pavement on a structural support subgrade.

This project is also utilizing several recycled materials—utilizing millings from the existing asphalt and integrating them into the structural subgrade for the new taxiway. Workers have been busy pulling up the old asphalt, milling it, and stockpiling the materials near the work site to later be incorporated into the structural subgrade.

Stockpiling this material at the worksite helps to minimize the exhaust air-discharge by practically eliminating extended hauling needs. In addition to utilizing the recycled millings, some of the cement used for the taxiway will be replaced with fly ash, which is a waste by-product of coal combustion and otherwise unusable.

“We are always looking for ways to better serve our community,” said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. “This project is not only a significant improvement to Sky Harbor's north airfield; it is also putting Arizonans to work. We are proud to partner with the federal government to make this happen.”