AMS Case Study – Port Authority of New York/New Jersey

Background

For over two decades, the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey (PANYNJ) has adopted long-term contracting to address airfield maintenance needs when it comes to rubber removal. Given the responsibility of managing some of the busiest airports in the world and the world’s most congested airspace, the PANYNJ developed stringent specifications to identify the most adequate solution provider. The specifications call for suppliers with the best qualifications who would adapt to their complex operations schedule, protect the integrity of the pavement, and navigate safely around their airfields. 

Solution

The PANYNJ sets the standard in environmentally conscious runway rubber removal. By developing specifications, which called for waterblasting/chemical combination method, the PANYNJ assured runway skid resistance would meet safety standards and at the same time minimize substrate degradation caused by 40,000 PSI waterblasting equipment. Not only did the PANYNJ called for a minimum waterblasting pressure of 20,000 PSI at the time of removal, but the chemical used in the process had to meet stringent environmental standards. These measures had to be taken at the time of selecting the solution provider, since it required a minimum of five rubber removal interventions per year at JFK, LGA, and EWR. “When removing rubber at these frequencies it is important to use a methodology which causes the least amount of damage to the surface” mentions Bobbie Pettit, President of Hi-Lite Solutions.

Outcome

Hi-Lite Airfield Services has been awarded at least three multi-year maintenance contracts at PANYNJ since 2000. During the last contract period, rates of removal were in excess of 25,000 sq ft per hour, which reduced runway closure times considerably. Hi-Lite utilized environmentally friendly chemical AEROGREEN 4035 in the combination waterblasting process and developed the R4 (Responsible Runway Rubber Removal) process as a result of the demands of the PANYNJ. Today, the R4 process has been adopted by airport operators all over the world including the US military at various Air Force bases. R4 is the ideal choice for airfields requiring a higher frequency of removals per year and seeking to minimize substrate degradation to their runways.

Services: Rubber Removal