CAA: GA News, "Asphalt inconsistency delays N.C. airport shutdown"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Saturday, September 28, 2002

Asphalt inconsistency delays airport shutdown
By WINKIE WILKINS
The Roxboro (NC) Courier Times


A shutdown of the Person County Executive Airport to permit repaving of the
runway and taxiways was to have taken effect Friday.

It didn't.

A problem with the consistency of the asphalt mix being supplied for the
repaving has slowed the project and thus postponed the airport shutdown,
which, when it comes, will last about three weeks.

Person County Manager Steve Carpenter said that the shutdown now should
begin next Wednesday, Oct. 2. On the back side, the time of the shutdown
should not have to be extended, he said. A re-opening of the airport is
scheduled for Oct. 22, the scheduled re-opening date, even if the shutdown
had taken place Friday as originally planned.

The airport shutdown was postponed, Carpenter said, because the paving
contractor - B&B Paving of Raleigh - encountered deliveries of asphalt mix
that varied in consistency from delivery to delivery. The consistency
variations, said Carpenter, was affecting compaction rates of the asphalt.

The asphalt mix called for in specifications for the airport repaving
project differs from the mix customarily used on streets and highways.

"This is a hard compound to put down," said Carpenter. "The contractor is
doing everything he can to get a product that will work."

That is what's been happening for most of this week, as B&B Paving has
sought a new source of asphalt mix, a source that can deliver a consistent
product.

"The contractor has found a new supplier," said Carpenter.

Early next week, Carpenter said, asphalt from the new supplier will be put
down in a test strip at the airport. If results from the test strip meet the
consistency requirements, the repaving project will commence again on
Wednesday of next week. At that time, the airport's three-week shutdown will
begin.

"The closing has been delayed to Wednesday," said Carpenter. "If that test
strip works out, the airport will be closed, starting next Wednesday."

This is a repaving project for the Person airport runway and taxiways. In
preparation for it, a waterproof membrane has been placed between the old
pavement and the new. There are actually two layers of new pavement and it's
the bottom layer that was being applied, when the inconsistencies in the
asphalt were noted.

"It's a 'leveling' coat and a 'finished' coat will be applied over it," said
Carpenter. Since it is a bottom layer and since there would be multiple
problems involved in removing it, the inconsistent asphalt that has already
been put down will not be removed, in accordance with a suggestion of the
Wilmington-based Talbert & Bright, consulting engineering firm for the
airport. Talbert & Bright has written a letter to Carpenter outlining
reasons for keeping the inconsistent asphalt mix in place, rather than
removing it.

"The letter says it's not up to specs, but it's still pretty good asphalt,"
said Carpenter.

Talbert & Bright has also indicated that, since the first asphalt mix did
not meet specifications, it should be paid for at 50 percent of its value,
or $32,500.

Attached Photo:

A worker walks across runway extension of Person County Executive Airport,
where a runway strengthening project is set to begin. The work will require
closing the runway for about 3 weeks. The shutdown, originally set to start
Friday, is now rescheduled to begin Oct. 2.

Person_Airport.jpg