ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR RUNWAY EXTENSION WITH VEGETATED MSE WALL AT PAOLI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

The Paoli Board of Aviation Commissioners owns and operates the Paoli Municipal Airport (I42), a local general aviation airport with a 2,793-foot by 50-foot runway. In order to lengthen/widen the runway and accommodate critical aircraft users, Woolpert was selected to develop an environmental assessment (EA) and analyze the use of a vegetated mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall.

Woolpert justified the runway extension/widening to 3,301 feet by 60 feet while evaluating unique solutions to control costs and avoid environmental restraints.

Further, Woolpert presented an out-of-the-box solution that changed the norm for tree removal and mitigation (and was approved by both IDEM and the FAA). In lieu of traditional tree removal/mitigation practices, Woolpert suggested that the airport make a voluntary contribution to an established tree conservation group. This donation resulted in the planting of more trees than requested while reducing original estimated mitigation costs by over 90 percent.