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Section 2: Infrastructure
Section 2:
Infrastructure
Infrastructure Planning and Projects
At the heart of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s mission is the straightforward, yet often complex, mandate of providing safe, secure, sustainable, and convenient transportation facilities capable of adapting to current and future customer needs. This presents challenges in both the “here and now,” and in efforts to anticipate the future needs, as we seek to optimize the use of new technology to foster a fiscally and environmentally sustainable aviation system.
Capital Program Budget
One of RIAC’s most important achievements is preparing a capital program and budget of over 129 million dollars from fiscal years 2021-2026. This provides RIAC with a vital planning tool which will be used to formulate a prioritized and systematic investment and execution plan for the organization.
This process is another way RIAC is seeking to ensure the excellence of service by properly investing federal dollars to minimize and mitigate any impact to air service related to outdated infrastructure deficiencies.
Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) Invests in Pilot Safety with Aerial Obstruction Surveys
One of RIAC’s most vital missions is the responsibility to ensure that all public airports are safe, and that steps are taken to mitigate the risk presented by aerial obstructions or other unintended intrusions into airspace around airports. Over the past year, RIAC has been conducting an aerial obstruction survey for all airports, which not only identifies current airspace obstructions, but also looks ahead to the future to determine where tree growth must be addressed to prevent a required shortening of runways to maintain pilot and community safety. The survey was conducted throughout 2020 with the findings utilized to create sustainable, long-term plans to address the highest priority obstructions.
20-Year Airport Master Plan Creates Infrastructure Vision for the Future of Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport
In 2018, RIAC embarked on an effort to update the Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) Master Plan, a document that is an essential planning tool. The Master Plan is critical in preparing for expected growth in passenger volume, increasing regional demand, and the safe and easy travel opportunities so many have come to appreciate. The Master Plan, a collaborative and community-wide initiative, was last updated in 2002, making this a top priority of RIAC as airports usually update master plans every five to seven years.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ties federal funding to the availability and timeliness of such plans by airports, which takes a measured approach to capital investment to develop airport infrastructure incrementally as Passenger Activity Levels (PALs) dictate and create feasible and flexible development plans to accommodate forecasted demand over a 20-year period. Unlike past Master Plans, the current Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport Master Plan does not call for further runway expansions, as the previous expansion now allows PVD to serve as an international airport and will also accommodate direct flights to the West Coast. However, there remains numerous opportunities to foster economic development on behalf of the state, as demand for expanded air cargo capacity and other economic development opportunities creates the potential for sustainable job creation, but only with the proper infrastructure planning and development.
RIAC must also be prepared for growth in passenger volume over the next several years, which would require terminal and parking expansion opportunities that would create local construction jobs, and provide related economic benefits to the community. The final plan will be used as a tool to inform the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and sets the stage for development opportunities that may arise in the future.
ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
RHODE ISLAND T. F. GREEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN $840 MILLION IN DIRECT INVESTMENT
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Of $840 million in total CIP spending, some $450 million (54%) is expected to leverage federal and third-party sources, meaning that the local RIAC
share represents less than half of overall CIP spending. The CIP could support or maintain
3,200 local jobs in the City of Warwick as a result of these capital projects. Overall average labor income is more than $66,000 per job annually. An estimated 40% of all
project spending could be spent with businessess in
the CIty of Warwick and 65% to businessess in the State of Rhode Island. Each dollar of in-state
spending generates an additional $.85 in
economic activity as benefits ripple through the state economy. Approximately $14
million generated in state income tax
revenue and $140 million in federal income tax revenue.
Curbside Improvements and Canopy Expansion for Enhanced Customer Service
RIAC is always seeking ways to improve our patron’s experience at the airport by listening to customer feedback and to improve services where we can. One such project is the completed design and bidding of curbside improvements at Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, extending the overhead canopy over 100 linear feet to protect travelers from the weather as they arrive and depart from the airport. This project was paused due to the pandemic, however other service improvements have been implemented, including a new agreement with both Uber and Lyft to provide closer, more convenient curbside services.
Conduct All Airport Pavement Condition Analysis to Enhance Safety
Although the pandemic has required that RIAC pause certain projects, public and pilot safety are matters that cannot wait. One of RIAC’s proudest achievements is the completion of Phase I of a Comprehensive Airside and Landside Pavement Management Program for all six public airports in the state, including Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, Block Island State Airport, Newport State Airport, Westerly State Airport, North Central State Airport, and Quonset State Airport. RIAC secured a federal grant from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and throughout 2020 assessed pavement conditions and calculated pavement condition indexes for landside and airside pavements at all six airports, including prioritization and estimating of future capital needs. This draft assessment will provided data needed to estimate remaining pavement life to forecast when required maintenance or replacement should occur to maximize capital investments and asset life, and ensure compliance with the FAA requirements for grant issuances. RIAC is currently in the final phase of determining the highest priority airstrip maintenance and rehabilitation projects.
Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) has already won the hearts of millions of people throughout the region, but as the Bruce Sundlun Terminal reaches its 25th Anniversary, RIAC is embarking on a thematic redesign of the airport interior, maintaining and building upon all that travelers’ love, while bringing a fresh, modern, naturally inspired interior. Working collaboratively with a national and local airport architectural firm, as well as, the participation of the top-ranked Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), RIAC created a grand thematic design for the terminal renovation projects. The chosen design theme, a concerted effort to “bring the outside in” will serve as a guide for future terminal renovations.
Complete Preliminary Design of Restroom Renovations to Maximize Customer Experience and Comfort
While upgrades and changeovers of Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) restaurant, retail, and concession services have been delayed by the impact of COVID-19 on customer volume, thanks to federal funds secured by Senator Jack Reed, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation has been able to move forward with project and design planning to modernize restrooms in the 25-year old airport terminal. Designed to foster improved cleanliness and hygiene, the restrooms will incorporate modern design trends with the latest hygiene technology to keep you safer, and healthier, with special attention given to social distancing crowd flow.
Traveler surveys consistently find that airport restrooms are an important element to a customer’s journey and airport experience. Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport’s complete restroom renovation project, including new amenities for traveling nursing mothers, is underway, funded with $8.7 million in federal funds secured by Senator Jack Reed with the support of Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation.
Design and Bid the $27.6 Million Construction Project on Runway 16-34
Although airports are never able to “close,” recent reductions in air traffic has allowed RIAC to move forward on needed upgrades to Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport’s secondary Runway 16-34, competitively soliciting and contracting with a consultant for design and construction administration. During the period in which the secondary or “crosswind” runway is out of service for rehabilitation, the airport’s primary runway, Runway 5-23, will accommodate all flight traffic, with expected completion date at the end of January 2022.
Federal funding of $27.6 million for design and construction of this project was made possible due to the efforts of Senator Jack Reed and Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation to provide an additional $1 billion in national airport improvement funding in the fiscal year 2018 transportation funding bill.
General Aviation Airport Infrastructure
Rhode Island’s General Aviation (GA) Airports, including Block Island, Westerly, Newport, Quonset, and North Central State Airports, make up a network of the state’s public aviation system. Similar to Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, each of these airports requires focus on infrastructure. In efforts to establish a General Aviation Airport infrastructure plan, RIAC formed a task force comprised of aviation experts in the fields of engineering, planning, operations, finance, legal, and property management. In 2020, a draft assessment will provide structural assessment of existing buildings and other infrastructure for all six airports. Simultaneously, high priority projects, such as ongoing runway repairs and airspace obstruction mitigation, have continued to move forward throughout this process even as the long-term strategic business planning continues. The draft assessment will provide long-needed data to serve as a foundation on which to better understand the existing condition of building infrastructure and programs when required maintenance or replacement should occur to maximize capital investments.
Senator Jack Reed, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, was joined by RIAC President and CEO Iftikhar Ahmad and TSA Federal Security Director Daniel Burche at a press conference to announce $5.5 million in federal reimbursement for security technology upgrades at Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport.
General Aviation Assessments
RIAC invests nearly $1.24 million in infrastructure planning at General Aviation airports.
Pavement Analysis
Airports must have a Pavement Management Plan (PMP) for pavement projects to be eligible for federal funding. The plan includes an assessment of airside and landside pavement conditions; recommendations for future pavement rehabilitation and/or replacement needs; and an estimation of project costs.
Building and Infrastructure Assessment
RIAC has also conducted an infrastructure assessment that assesses buildings and assets overall condition, other than pavements at General Aviation airports. Other assets include buildings, fencing, electrical vaults, drainage, and recommendations for future infrastructure rehabilitation and/or replacement needs and estimates of project costs.
Airspace Analysis
In order to comply with FAA grant assurances, RIAC has also conducted an analysis and plan to mitigate off-airport airspace obstructions. The analysis identified existing and near term airspace hazards and is working with the FAA to take appropriate action to resolve over 1,800 data points, with an estimated mitigation cost of $7.3 million to resolve obstructions.
Business and Financial Plan
RIAC is also working with experienced general aviation consultants to identify opportunities to provide desirable airport amenities which can help provide financial sustainability for General Aviation airports. Potential opportunities at the airports include aeronautical and non-aeronautical developments.
Recent capital improvement at Newport State Airport included a completed aircraft parking apron reconstruction of 28,000 square feet, including rehabilitation of 30 aircraft tie downs and the rehabilitation of Taxiway B at a cost of $2.6 million.
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation’s General Aviation airports are located in communities across the state that will benefit from local participation in capital projects. The economic benefits provided by investment in airport facilities and infrastructure extend beyond the substantial benefits the state’s General Aviation airports provide through their support for GENERAL AVIATION ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTSmobility, industry, and public services. In order to gain key input into General Aviation airport planning, RIAC engaged in outreach to many stakeholders in numerous public settings. Total economic benefits of the General Aviation airport capital assessment include a direct effect as businesses are compensated for airport projects, along with the secondary “multiplier effect” as businesses and employee spending ripples across the regional economy.
OVERALL CAPITAL SPENDING (2020-2041)
SFZ, $13M
North Central State Airport
OQU,$49M
GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS Quonset State Airport
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) recently conducted a UUU, $14M capital assessment to identify the set of projects that will be required Newport State Airport to provide excellent facilities and service at the system’s five general WST, $17M aviation (GA) airports over a twenty-year (2021-2040) timeframe.
Westerly State Airport
Nearly $145 million in capital improvements are planned at the BID, $11M Block Island State Airport system’s GA airports between 2021-2040. Planned improvements include runway and taxiway enhancements, upgrades to airport buildings, obstruction removal, and a variety of other projects.
TOTAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS - $490M
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY $193M
UNITED STATESTOTAL
$490M
LABOR INCOME $69M $161M
EMPLOYMENT 1.1K
Note: Employment in job-years; dollar values at current (2020) level. 2.5K KEY TAKEAWAYS
Of $145 million in total GA airport spending, an estimated $105 million (70%) could be spent with businesses in the State of Rhode Island.
Each dollar of in-state spending generates an additional $0.85 in economic activity as benefits ripple through the state economy.
Approximately $3 million
generated in state income
tax revenue and $25 million in federal income tax revenue.
GA capital improvement projects could support or maintain 1,100 local jobs in the State of Rhode Isalnd.
Overall average labor income is approximately $65,000 per job annually.
