Tyler Pounds Regional Airport Runway 4-22 Improvements

KSA was hired to reconstruct  Runway 4-22 and relocate the instrument landing system (ILS) to Runway 4. This project was initiated in 2012 after repeated requests from airport stakeholders and air traffic control tower (ATCT) staff. KSA was asked to prepare a white paper to determine the runway best suited for ILS procedures. The current ILS is located on Runway 13, a 5,600-foot by 150-foot runway. We began by evaluating prevailing winds patterns and then separated wind data during IFR conditions only. We researched the patterns for a 10-year period, which indicated that Runway 4 provided the best coverage during IFR conditions. Next, we solicited input from the air traffic controllers, airlines, and corporate users who all substantiated our analysis.
 
At the same time, the Runway 4-22 pavement was showing signs of structural distress. Longitudinal and transverse cracks began to appear. Traffic loading was increasing in both aircraft weight and frequency. The pavement had served its useful life.

The scope of the EA included both the relocation of the ILS and reconstruction of Runway 4-22. KSA completed the EA in 2012, studying various alternatives that included a benefit-cost analysis. The document was scrutinized as the relocation of the ILS had significant impact to neighboring property owners. Through careful documentation, KSA provided adequate justification, passing the threshold of FAA approval; a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) was issued. 
 
KSA then prepared a preliminary engineering report (PER) to refine the scope and budget. We analyzed Runway 4-22, including soils investigations to determine pavement sections, line of sight deficiencies, connecting taxiway configurations, and construction phasing.
 
The resulting project included complete reconstruction of the 7,800-foot runway, significant runway profile adjustments, connecting taxiway reconfigurations, parallel taxiway realignments, lighting improvements, and NAVAID relocations, totaling $54 million. 
 
This project was scrutinized heavily by the FAA’s Southwest Regional office due to the increasingly competitive nature of discretionary funding. To ensure this project progressed, KSA staff held several strategic planning meetings with airport staff to develop an approach for presenting all of the necessary documentation in a clear, concise format. We engaged the various FAA lines of business for input to address all concerns.