ForConstructionPros.com

There are challenges unique to any paving jobsite, but airports are considerably different than highway or commercial paving. From an increased level of jobsite security, to the type of traffic involved and the type of asphalt used, almost everything about an airport paving job is different than conventional asphalt jobs.

With a population of 11,000, Bemidji, MN may not seem to be a likely home for the state's fourth-busiest airport. Due to its location in north-central Minnesota, the Bemidji Regional Airport is an important element of the state's infrastructure, with 30,000 flights each year.

The Bemidji Regional Airport has two runways, and in order to maintain the airport, cross runway 7-25 was rebuilt by Northstar Materials, Inc. Runway 7-25 is 150 feet wide and 6,500 feet long. The project also included rebuilding a 50-foot-wide taxiway for a total of 31,000 tons of asphalt used to complete the job.

Before any work began, Northstar Materials sought advice. The company asked Rich Walters, paving director of the Minnesota Asphalt Paving Association, to meet with company personnel for training on airport specifications and construction processes to prepare for the project.

Safety first
The runway reconstruction required conducting airport safety meetings each morning, with every truck driver, equipment operator and any other personnel who would be on the jobsite that day required to attend. Since the leaders of these meetings had to be certified, Northstar Materials had five employees attend a train-the-trainer session at the Bemidji Regional Airport to become certified to lead the daily safety meetings.