The Minnesota Council of Airports (MCOA) awarded Rochester International Airport (RST) their prestigious “Project of the Year” award during its annual Minnesota Airport Conference held April 6-8 at the Mayo Civic Center.
Selecting from a record number of airport nominations from across the state MCOA recognized RST, project consultant Mead & Hunt, Inc., and contractor Hoffman Construction Company for Phase 1 construction on a multi-year, multi-phase runway improvement and reconstruction project of Runway 2/20. The award honors the significant time and investment to airport operations that result in improved airport efficiency, safety, or facility enhancement to further the growth and development of aviation in Minnesota.
“Runway reconstruction projects are complicated endeavors that require hard work of staff and partners with a strong commitment to safety and coordination. We are honored to receive recognition for the first phase of the project and our efforts that support our critical users: the airlines, air cargo and Mayo Medical Transport,” said John Reed, executive director. “The Runway 2/20 project is a large-scaled collaborative effort that involves federal, state, and local partnership. We successfully completed Phase 1 of Runway 2/20 project on-time and under budget with the help of our valued partners Mead & Hunt, Inc., Hoffman Construction Company and support from the city and our local and state legislators."
The total cost of the Runway 2/20 project is $79.2 million. Phase 1 of Runway 2/20 project was complete in November of 2021 and included:
- Removal and crushing of over 63,000 square yards of concrete pavement – the area of nearly twelve NFL football fields.
- 40-inch-deep replacement pavement section with a drain tile network and base of nearly 100% recycled concrete, asphalt, and base materials from the previous runway.
- Installation of a drain tile network to remove subsurface water, which will prolong the life of the pavement.
Phase II of Runway 2/20 project is set to begin in May.
