Project Description

The Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE)’s Taxiway L Project has earned an Envision Silver Award for sustainable infrastructure from ISI. Analysis undertaken by the Philadelphia Department of Aviation showed that it was imperative to upgrade the pavement condition and the taxiway design to meet projected capacity requirements and flight activity at Pennsylvania’s third-largest airport. This project corrects the pavement distresses while bringing the taxiway into geometric compliance for a Taxiway Design Group 3 taxiway. Airfield lighting and signage are also being relocated as part of the project to accommodate the upgraded geometry.

These improvements support the role of PNE as a “reliever” airport for Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), easing delayed operations. It is anticipated that the role of PNE will increase in the foreseeable future to compensate for the limited hangar space at PHL. In addition, the Department of Aviation expects growth to be focused on mid-large turbine aircraft, making it critical to upgrade the pavement condition and geometrics at PNE.

“Congratulations again to the Department of Aviation for the leadership it is demonstrating to advance airport sustainability,” says Kailey Eldredge, ISI Verification Director. “These improvements not only ensure the continued safe and efficient movement of aircraft, they also put sustainability at the core of the project.”

Verified Sustainability Achievements

This project realized early collaboration between the project team – City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation, Owner; AtkinsRéalis, Lead Designer and Engineer of Record; and James D. Morrissey Inc., Contractor –  to foster an environment based on teamwork and common goals. Written commitments from the project team were established to address the social, environmental, and economic aspects, and there is a sustainability management policy in place commensurate with the project’s scope, scale, and complexity. Envision was pursued as part of a broader effort to expand leadership in sustainable practices in support of the City’s sustainability goals. Two earlier PHL projects, Taxiway Y & U Rehabilitation and Taxiway J Rehabilitation, also obtained Envision Verified Awards.

Some additional sustainability achievements on this project are summarized below.

Sustainable Materials Handling – By creating a cement-treated base comprised of asphalt milling and existing aggregate base from the site, the team was able to reduce costs associated with bringing in new construction materials. The new aggregate base is comparable to one made with new materials, and this process selection reduces the demand for virgin materials, thus preventing environmental degradation due to extraction.  Additionally, the reuse of project materials provided a 15% reduction in total embodied carbon of materials over the life of the project and reduced emissions associated with construction vehicles by 81%.

Byproduct Synergy and Use of Recycled Materials – Any asphalt paving materials not incorporated into the new base had to be recycled and not disposed of in a landfill. Materials which were reused or recycled on-site were evaluated by cost and weight in tons by the contractor. Calculations were completed for the total quantity of materials used on the project and the percentage of those materials which were reused or recycled. Approximately 30% of materials used for construction consisted of reused or recycled materials.

Reducing Energy Use During Operations – The project team calculated an anticipated 58.7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with operations over the project’s operational life. GHG sources are limited to offsite energy generation which will be used to power taxiway edge lights and signage within the project area. Existing incandescent lighting and signage are being replaced with energy efficient LED equivalents, a change that will also reduce emissions.

Restoring Greenspace – A portion of abandoned Taxiway H was restored to previous development which consisted of pervious vegetated area. This was achieved using a seeding mix which was developed under the guidance of, and approved by, a Wildlife Biologist consulting for the Department of Aviation as a representative of the USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services group. The seed mix will provide soil stability by germinating quickly to establish vegetative cover, restoring previously disturbed areas to a condition that can support healthy plant and tree growth.

Protecting Surface and Groundwater Quality – A lengthy pipe system is in place for stormwater routing. This allows for the water to cool and not increase the temperature of downstream waterbodies, which ensured no adverse thermal impacts to the downstream system. The list of control measures implemented during construction included compost filter socks around the perimeter of the worksite to trap sediment and debris, filter bag inlet protection to preserve the quality of runoff that reaches catch basins in the project area, and rock construction entrances to remove debris and pollutants from construction vehicles prior to leaving the work area.

Wetland and Surface Water Functions – The project team implemented comprehensive soil-protection and erosion and sedimentation control plans to mitigate potential impacts such as surface pooling and stormwater runoff to the project area as well as local waterways, such as the Delaware River. This aspect of the project will mean lower levels of pollutants that are carried via runoff due to the reduction of impervious area that will be achieved across the project.

Balance Earthwork on Site – Following construction, contractor-provided quantities show that the site remained fully balanced during construction. Construction activities yielded 1,100 tons of earth, soil, and dirt, all of which was reused on site as fill material along abandoned Taxiway H. No fill material was required to be brought onto the site, per the contractor’s documentation.