Project Summary

Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 11,322-foot-long runway pavement had exceeded its 20-year lifespan, and the bituminous portion was exhibiting natural aging distress while the concrete sections were cracking due to swelling caused by alkali-silica reactions. Pavement reconstruction was necessary to ensure continued safe operations for the general public and the New Hampshire Air National Guard’s (NHANG) missions. Addressing both FAA’s and NHANG’s distinct design and project justification criteria added a layer of complexity not usually found in other runway reconstruction projects. During the project planning process, Hoyle Tanner prepared a runway length economic funding analysis that was instrumental in successfully tracking and quantifying distinct project elements associated with four separate funding agencies, including Pease Development Authority (PDA), New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT), FAA, and NHANG throughout the 46-month project duration.  

As part of the design process, Hoyle Tanner developed an innovative construction phasing approach that would allow the contractor to pave the required 104,500 tons of bituminous asphalt with the least number of transverse joints as possible while also minimizing the runway closure time. The decision to establish a temporary on-site portable asphalt paving plant located on the airport allowed for quick delivery of high-quality asphalt, maximizing the production length of a paving day, and eliminating the 45-60-minute one-way transport time of approximately 5,800 truckloads of asphalt. To reduce the Airport’s electricity load and provide economic operating cost savings, the design team worked diligently with FAA and NHANG to incorporate the first FAA-funded Light Emitting Diode (LED) High-Intensity Runway Edge Light system in New England. A new sustainable stormwater treatment system was installed improving stormwater flow and reducing impacts to existing emergent wetlands.  The Runway 16-34 reconstruction project was completed was ahead of schedule and under budget.