This week, the Construction Managers Association of America (CMAA) named the newest runway built at O'Hare International Airport as the National Project of the Year.
The award for Runway 10-28Lwas presented to the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff on Oct. 11 at the 2016 CMAA National Conference and Trade Show Industry Recognition Dinner in San Diego, California. The runway also received the Project Achievement Award from CMAA.
WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff was the construction manager for Runway 10R-28L. The runway project is a component of the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP) led by the CDA.
Runway 10R-28L was commissioned on October 15, 2015 at O'Hare along with an air traffic control tower built to manage aircraft operations on the runway. It is the fifth East-West parallel runway at O'Hare and the fourth new runway component opened since 2008 as part of the OMP. The runway is 7,500 feet in length and 150 feet in width. Construction on the $516 million runway and taxiway system began in 2011.
The new runway significantly improves O'Hare's East flow arrival and departure rates in all weather conditions, which increases throughput and helps to reduce delays. The runway has also had a positive impact on aircraft noise for communities near O'Hare because it allows air traffic to be more balanced to the east and west of the airport.
The CMAA is North America's only organization dedicated exclusively to the interests of professional Construction Project Management. The association was formed in 1982 as a way to establish a set of standards for managing capital construction projects. The CMAA has over 15,000 members, including individual Construction Management practitioners, corporate members, and construction owners in the public and private sectors, along with academic and associate members. CMAA also has 29 regional chapters and student chapters at colleges and universities across the country.
