Runway Extension at HSIA in Nova Scotia

Tetra Tech has provided airfield planning services and civil consultation to help Halifax Robert L. Stanfield International Airport (HSIA) meet the demands of increased passenger and cargo traffic. HSIA serves more than 3.5 million passengers per year, with traffic expected to continue growing.

Tetra Tech provided planning, design, and construction management for a multiyear extension project for the HSIA’s main runway. The 1,700-foot extension of Runway 05-23 included a 10,500-foot total runway length, new connecting taxiways, paved service roads, replacing the CAT II approach, installing a displaced threshold, inset lights, new localizers, remote thermal cameras for ASDE, and revised low-visibility routes. Tetra Tech completed the runway under budget and on schedule.

Tetra Tech provided planning, civil design, Plans of Construction Operations, regulatory approvals with Transport Canada and NAV CANADA, and resident engineering and inspections for the runway expansion.

Atlantic Canada is embarking on a ‘new era in air service’ with the grand opening of the newly extended main runway at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. The extension of our main runway provides Atlantic Canada with new economic development opportunities, particularly in the air cargo sector. This development will create positive economic spinoffs that will benefit our community, our province, and our region.

Tom Ruth, President and CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority

Tetra Tech’s careful planning and coordination helped the airport maintain continuous operations during the project, with only scheduled runway limitations or closures. With a carefully crafted PCO and continuous coordination between HSIA’s duty managers, Tetra Tech’s resident engineer, NAV CANADA air navigation services and air traffic controllers, and the general contractor, the longest runway shutdown occurred on the airport’s secondary runway for two weeks.

The team maintained this commitment to continuous operation in the face of challenging weather conditions. Record rainfall in September 2012 challenged the schedule and made excavation and backfill tasks difficult. Temporary and permanent drainage measures were implemented to handle the influx of precipitation. Environmental protection measures for runoff were also a priority.

Tetra Tech provided the following services to help HSIA complete its runway extension:

  • Planned and coordinated with NAV CANADA including land use applications, statement of work and cost sharing agreements, navaid replacements, ASDE thermal imaging requirements, approach designs, and national publication scheduling
  • Coordinated with Transport Canada including design reviews, preparation of work zones (runway certification), plan of construction operations, localizer berm safety improvements, CAT II approach, and inset light requirements
  • Conducted operation planning and project phasing for schedule constraints due to weather conditions and requirements for CAT II operations, low-visibility routing, airline runway length requirements, and maintaining a continued level of service
  • Determined Runway End Safety Area requirements and modified grading options to provide a balance between safety and the financial implication of fill and grading quantities given uncertain upcoming regulations
  • Developed a construction schedule that provided mandatory milestones for national aeronautical publications, coordination with NAV CANADA navaid installations and flight schedules, NOTAM requirements, third-party coordination, weather delays, and daily schedule planning