Last week, the west runway reopened at
Sacramento International Airport after undergoing rehabilitation that began in April. The six-month rehabilitation project involved removing the existing asphalt runway and replacing it with a new concrete runway.
“We are thrilled to have the west runway operational again,” said Sacramento County Airports Director Cindy Nichol. “The project was executed on time and with its completion, it will allow us to continue to serve our customers with maximum efficiency.”
Before the new concrete surface could be installed, 50,000 cubic yards of asphalt was milled off the existing runway, which measures 8,600 feet long and 150 feet wide. In total, 106,000 cubic yards of concrete pavement was used on the new runway, requiring 11,777 truckloads. Additionally, 22,000 linear feet of storm drain pipe was installed, 130,000 linear feet of new electrical cables and 450 new runway lights.
In keeping with the Department of Airport's sustainability goals, 100 percent of the pre-existing base rock was put back into the structural section and shoulders of the runway. All of the concrete buried underneath the old runway was processed into base rock and put back into the blast pads (4,500 cubic yards total). Additionally, the asphalt millings were re-used to reinforce the soft subgrade in the blast pads and installed in the shoulders (2,400 cubic yards total).