South Bend International Airport celebrated the completion of the Taxiway Bravo Realignment and Ramp Reconstruction project with a ribbon cutting Sept. 30.
The five-year $105 million Taxiway Bravo realignment was needed for safety and separation. The airport has grown with larger aircraft and more frequent flights. The project corrected the taxiway’s geometry to enhance pilot wayfinding and separated the taxiway from the terminal ramp.
The terminal ramp was lowered about four feet to accommodate the airport’s growth as well. Prior to this project, mainline aircraft could only park at two gates. With the completion of this project, mainline aircraft and larger regional jets can utilize any gate.
The project’s scope included excavation of nearly 920,000 cubic yards of soil, equivalent to 280 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Over 133,000 tons of asphalt were laid, equivalent to 40 miles of two-lane county roads.
The terminal ramp consists of over 20 acres of concrete, 14 inches thick. Over 137,000 feet, or 26 miles, of electrical and communication cables were installed. Airfield light fixtures were changed from incandescent to LED. Stormwater pipe and stormwater structures were installed.
“Of the $105 million project, $96 million came from federal funding with the remaining from state and local sources,” said Mike Daigle, airport CEO and executive director, in a press release. “This funding from the Federal Aviation Administration was competitive and could have gone anywhere in the country. I am proud that our team was able to secure the funding that resulted in needed infrastructure investment and job creation.”
The project was phased over five construction seasons to minimize the impact on operations. It began at the west end of the airfield and moved eastward.
