- July 27, 2023
- In the Media
Groundbreaking Indianapolis Airport Project Featured in Airport Improvement
As the only airfield project to win an Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure Envision Platinum Award to date, the Runway 5R-23L and Taxiway D Strengthening and Capacity Enhancement Project at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is significant for promoting strategic green initiatives in the aviation industry. To enhance sustainability and carbon reduction, a unique carbon capture process was deployed for the runway pavement, in addition to concrete recycling, energy conservation with LED lighting, and the incorporation of runway trapezoidal grooves for rubber reduction.
Airport Improvement magazine highlights how our team partnered with Woolpert on the engineering and project design, analyzing various reconstruction scenarios that considered the project’s many dimensions and challenges—including balancing the needs of FedEx, a major airport tenant, and ensuring that IND met sustainability and resiliency goals while managing the budget and phasing effectively. The reconstruction is currently in phase two of three, and the 10,000-foot runway is on track to better support passenger and cargo planes while taking new sustainability processes to the skies.
“One of the biggest tenants on the airfield is sitting right next to this project, so we needed to make sure that we were keeping the tenant happy and minimizing disruptions to them, while maintaining a safe environment. There was some pretty complex phasing to achieve this because they needed a way around the taxiway under construction to get to the active runways.”
About the Experts
Tony Esposito, P.E.
With more than 15 years of experience as an aviation engineer, Tony is an expert in airside and landside design, construction management, construction observation, estimating, scheduling, specifications, phasing, and sustainability for airports. He has worked on more than 100 airports throughout the world, including Chicago O-Hare, Detroit Metro, and Indianapolis International.
Shannon Gunn, P.E.
An experienced aviation engineer, Shannon’s project roles have included airfield geometry, construction safety phasing, and the design of pavement, marking, and storm drainage systems. Shannon also has developed skills in pavement management and construction phase services. With experience working at medium and large hub airports across the country, Shannon has contributed to airport layout plans, cargo apron design, end-around taxiway design and construction, and runway design and reconstruction.
Nate Summers, P.E., LEED AP
With almost 20 years of experience, Nate has provided design, construction management, construction observation, estimating, scheduling, specifications, phasing, and sustainability services for aviation projects across the country. His hub commercial airport experience includes Chicago O’Hare, Detroit Metro, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Indianapolis, Phoenix Sky Harbor, Charlotte Douglas, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airports.