Laramie airport project recognized by ACPA

The Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the American Concrete Pavement Association recently recognized a Wyoming Department of Transportation project as part of its Excellence in Concrete Paving Awards.

The department was recognized in the commercial service and military airports category for Wyoming for the concrete apron reconstruction project at the Laramie Regional Airport.

The project involved installation of new underdrains and a new pavement section, including 12 inches of new concrete. The project addressed specific challenges for an apron that is subjected to adverse weather conditions.

The project was funded by WYDOT Aeronautics, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Laramie Regional Airport.

Aeronautics Division Engineering and Construction Manager Brian Olsen said the bulk of the project was completed over the summer and fall of 2016. He said, in addition to being more than 40 years old, the existing pavement section was not deep enough to mitigate frost heave.

Frost caused some of the concrete panels to heave more than others, making snow plow maintenance of the apron difficult as well as contributing to the creation of foreign object debris – or FOD. FOD can be extremely harmful to aircraft. The apron will now be easier to maintain and will help ensure a safe operating environment, Olsen said.

A study funded by WYDOT in 2013 found the Laramie Regional Airport’s economic impact on the region is more than $20 million a year.

The award was announced March 16 in Denver, Colorado, as a part of the 2017 Annual Concrete Pavement Workshop.

The project was designed and managed by Jviation Inc., headquartered out of Denver. The contractor was Powder River Construction Inc., of Gillette.