As we all ushered in a new decade this month, the City of Lake Wales, Florida was marking the completion of the new taxiway network improvement project at the Lake Wales Municipal Airport. Hoyle, Tanner’s project manager, Wilbur Mathurin, PE joined airport administrators and city officials, including Mayor Eugene Fultz, who had the honor of ceremoniously cutting the ribbon, which marked the opening of the new taxiways.
The intent of these airport improvement projects was to enhance airport safety and provide more direct access for aircraft maneuvering throughout the airfield. Specifically, the construction of the 3,900-foot parallel Taxiway B alleviated the need for backtaxiing on Runway 17-35. Backtaxiing occurs when an aircraft needs to use a portion of the runway as a taxiway and travel in the opposite direction from which it will take off or has already landed.
The Airport also needed to address the cracking, raveling, and depressions in the 20-year-old pavement on Taxiway A. This was also an opportunity to implement the new FAA pavement geometry standards and regrade the infield area to eliminate ponding water issues.
Hoyle, Tanner provided the City of Lake Wales with permitting, engineering design and construction administration services for both Taxiway A & B which were funded in partnership with FAA and FDOT.
