Project Highlight

Project Manager: Paul McDonnell

Colonie, NY

Project Name: Aviation Planning & Design On-Call Client Name: VTrans Bureau of Aviation Location: Statewide - 9 airports

Term: 2019-2022 CHA Revenue: $850,000 (Planning) $1.5M+ (Engineering)

CHA has been a consultant for the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) Aviation since they initiated term agreements over ten years ago. The state operates one small commercial airport Southern Vermont Regional (RUT) and eight general aviation (GA) airports, with CHA completing projects at all of them over the years.

Brief Description of the work provided: Planning

During the current three-year term, CHA was hired to conduct Airport Master Plan Updates for three of its airports, including RUT, E.F. Knapp State (MPV), and Middlebury State (6B0), including new AGIS mapping, obstructions analysis, master plan reports, and Airport Layout Plan (ALP) drawing sets. At this time, the RUT master plan is approved, with the other two in the final stages with delivery planned in late 2022. In Vermont, airport activity levels =are low (FYI: the entire state population is only 625,000), but the issues faced by their airports are similar to GA airports in other states, and include: • Airfield pavement maintenance and upgrades (i.e., limited grant funding) • Satisfying changing FAA design standards • Off-airport obstructions mitigation • Hangar shortages and costs • Noise disturbance and residential opposition • Operational deficits As such, much of the technical analysis was spent addressing these issues, as well as managing public outreach efforts and developing the ALP drawing sets. An advantage of airport planning under this on-call agreement, is the potential for spinoff projects, which were significant during this term, including: • MPV: Environmental Assessment (EA) for off-airport tree removal • MPV: Emergency Tree Removal Design/CI • MPV: Master Hangar Permitting • RUT: Master Hangar Permitting • GA Terminal Building Layout/cost estimating (generic plan) Key Staff: Paul McDonnell, Mark Heckroth, Calvin Kuang, Taylor Koutropoulos, Nicole Frazer Based on master plan recommendations, we anticipate future opportunities for additional obstruction analyses, easement acquisitions, obstruction removals, and pavement management systems.

Brief Description of the work provided: Engineering

In 2019, CHA was awarded a multi-year, multi-phase design effort at Franklin County State Airport for the reconstruction, widening, and extension of Runway 18-36, to upgrade the airport from Airport Reference Code (ARC) B-I Small to B-II Large. In this case the master plan and EA had been completed by others, and CHA was selected as the engineer over five other firms. Overall, CHA’s design services included the following:

Completed Design and Construction CA:

• Obstruction removal design/RPR services for Runway 19 • Design of full depth reconstruction, relocation, and widening of Runway 1-19 including all permitting, design for new airfield lighting systems, signage, and electrical vault with associated equipment • Design for Runway 36 PAPI relocation and new REILS

Ongoing/Future Design and Construction CA:

• Construction CA services for Runway 1-19 reconstruction which is to be re-published as Runway 18-36 in 2023 • 1,000-foot Runway 36 (to length of 4,001 feet) and 2,000-foot parallel taxiway extension, including all permitting • Obstruction removals for Runway 36 extension to the south • Runway/taxiway signage and lighting, Runway 36 PAPI relocation • Segmented circle/windsock relocation • New taxiway connectors Key Staff: Bob Schaefer, Uday Kilambi, Sean Morris, David Norden, Melissa Zender

What made CHA win these projects?

Our continued selections with VTrans are based on the outstanding client service we provide. These projects have included several issues, including some budget overruns and delays. However, our excellent communication, high degree of client attention, and owning of any mistakes, has well surpassed the importance of the common challenges faced by most large projects. During this term, CHA ‘maxed-out’ our $3M consulting service cap and was provide with an amendment to complete ongoing assignments. Moving into 2023, we fully expect our on-call aviation agreement to be renewed (with a larger cap) and are positioning ourselves for upcoming runway design projects, with additional environmental and planning services.