Northeast Philadelphia Airport’s (PNE) Taxiway L is scheduled for full-depth reconstruction to bring it up to date and make it FAA-compliant.
The work will include changes to geometry, installation of LED light fixtures, and pavement reconstruction. This project will extend the useful life of a critical piece of airport infrastructure and supports the efficient operations of PNE as a reliever airport for Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), providing additional capacity for aircraft arriving in Philadelphia. This work is supported by over $3.5m in FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant funding.
The first of three construction phases began in spring 2023. Portions of the taxiway date back to the 1940s and have experienced wear and tear over the past decades. The taxiway pavement will be completely redone using a method called Full Depth Reclamation, a construction method that was also used to improve the pavement of PNE's Runway 6-24. The existing pavement will be crushed in place and mixed with cement to provide a base for the new asphalt – resulting in 45% of project materials being recycled on-site, leading to reduced cost, less construction traffic, a faster construction timeline, and reduced carbon emissions.
The full depth reclamation process will reuse existing materials
New geometry … and more
The geometry of the taxiway will be widened to comply with FAA guidance for taxiway design group (TDG) 3. This work includes a 15-ft widening of the taxiway to allow for 20-ft shoulders. Lighting and signage will be relocated to accommodate the change in geometry. The lighting will also be improved by adding fixtures and switching out incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs.
The team for this project includes the Department of Aviation, Atkins, Airport Design Consultants, Arora Engineers, and James D. Morrissey.
Images: Northeast Philadelphia Airport
