In collaboration with The Michael Baker Corporation, were the managing partners for O'Hare Runway Designers, LLC (ORD). ORD was the Lead Engineer and Engineer of Record for Runway 10R-28L, the third new east-west parallel runway of the O'Hare Airport Modernization Program, which opened on October 15, 2015.
Runway 10R-28L is a 7,500 foot long, 150 foot wide, CAT II/III all-weather runway. ORD's design services included demolition, earthwork, grading, pavements, geometrics, NAVAIDS, drainage, storm water conveyance, erosion and sedimentation control, utilities, lighting, signing, and pavement marking.
The design of Runway 10R-28L demonstrated the use of many innovative and unique applications of new and existing engineering techniques including Navigational Aids (NAVAIDS) and South Airfield Fiber Optics Transmission System (FOTS) as well as significant design coordination of various enabling projects by other consultants.
Runway 10R-28L provided a unique challenge that required specialized soils and pavement design, experienced aviation geometric engineering for the layout of the runway and taxiway, extensive electrical engineering to lay out the power and control circuitry for the runway NAVAIDS lighting and navigational equipment, and complicated civil engineering to develop the surrounding terrain to meet FAA and airport owner requirements.
Runway 10R-28L also features numerous sustainable design and construction techniques utilized to construct the runway. Because of its nature, aviation runway and pavement work is typically somewhat difficult to provide significant sustainable elements. But the OMP and the City of Chicago placed a major emphasis on including sustainable elements in the design of the runway.
