Airport Master Plan 2012 - City of Waterville

4.1 Airport Runway System Alternatives
Working Paper 1, Baseline Conditions identified the Crosswind Runway 14-32 as exhibiting a high
frequency of pavement shrinkage, cracking and extensive vegetation growth through the cracks over the
entire length and width of the Runway. Consequently, Runway 14-32 is temporarily closed due to its
current state of disrepair.
The alternatives considered for the Runway system include:
R0: “Do Nothing” Alternative.
R1: Rehabilitate Runway 14-32 and reduce width from 150 ft. to 60 ft. See Figure R1.
R2: Permanently close Runway 14-32 and consider various development options that would
require portions of the runway to be removed and/or replaced for alternate aeronautical uses. See
Figure R2
R0: “Do Nothing” Alternative
Considering only the runways at WVL, in a “Do Nothing” scenario, the Airport would continue to operate
at its current state. Runway 14-32 would remain closed until it can be rehabilitated to a useable state.
Future airport development would consider the airspace limitations imposed by Runway 14-32.
R1: Rehabilitate Runway 14-32 and reduce width from 150 ft. to 60 ft.
In this scenario Runway 14-32 will remain open and maintain B-I (ARC) standards. By
maintaining B-I standards, the same aircraft that currently utilize Runway 14-32 can continue to
do so.
By reducing the width of the Runway, the rehabilitation of Runway 14-32 will be significantly
less expensive than rehabilitating the Runway to its current width.
Reducing the width of Runway 14-32 affords the Airport the ability to pursue Aircraft Apron
Expansion with limited impact to the total amount of impervious surface currently at the Airport.
Reducing the width of Runway 14-32 will decrease the amount of impervious surface at WVL
and result in lower volumes of storm water runoff via overland flow. Decreasing the impervious
surface area may also improve surface water quality. In general, lower levels of surface water
pollutants (e.g. petroleum, metals, bacteria etc.) are directly related to storm water runoff caused
by impervious surfaces.
Keeping Runway 14-32 open would require the Airport to address and improve any known
Airspace issues associated with the approach and departure ends. This may include, but is not
limited to, Obstruction Analysis, land or easement acquisition, and Obstruction Removal.
R2: Permanently close Runway 14-32, and use it for future development
Permanently closing the Runway would avoid the need for the Airport to invest in expensive
rehabilitation and maintenance costs. Closing this runway will also reduce any noise impact to
nearby residential receptors at the RW32 end.
Currently, Runway 14-32 isn‟t long enough to serve the full fleet mix at WVL, considering that
The City of Waterville Maine
Alternatives Analysis – Page 4-2
Airport Solutions Group, LLC & The Louis Berger Group, Inc. December 2011