A major capital project to resurface the taxiways and aprons at the L.F. Wade International Airport was announced yesterday by Premier, Tourism and Transport Minister, Ewart Brown.

A Government statement on the scheme said the work was slated to begin this month in earnest and is scheduled to last through early July 2008.

The work will take place mainly at night when sections of the taxiways and aprons will be repaired and overlaid with a new asphalt surface.

Speaking about the specifics of the project, airport General Manager, Aaron Adderley stated: "Since the middle of December, there has been a mobilisation of heavy equipment and materials, which have been shipped in from Halifax and the Caribbean.

"Major works are taking place at the western-most end of the airfield adjacent to Kindley Field Road and what we are now seeing at the site is the construction of a temporary asphalt plant designed to produce all of the specified material needed to complete this extensive pavement rehabilitation project.

"This is a project which represents part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that the airfield maintains its quality international standards."

Mr. Adderley advised that in early January 2007, an "Expression of Interest" for the project was advertised locally and internationally, seeking submissions from competent and experienced airfield contractors.

And at the time of closing, formal and regulated evaluations were made of all bid submissions.

"In the end," Mr. Adderley said last year, "we selected the firm of Lagan Caribbean Limited. Last year, we visited the Bristol International Airport in the UK to assess the pavement rehabilitation and airfield lighting upgrade they carried out there and were quite satisfied with the results.

"They have since been working with numerous local contractors to help construct the temporary asphalt plant here in advance of the actual resurfacing work commencing."

According to airport Manager of Maintenance and Engineering, Wendell Burchall, the magnitude of the project is "impressive" noting the equivalent of 40 kilometers of Bermuda twin lane roads will be rehabilitated.

He added: "The works will use approximately 60,000 metric tonnes of crushed granite and sand along with 800,000 litres of fuel and 3,050 metric tonnes of asphalt cement.

"Additionally, we will be applying approximately 100 kilometers of regulated line markings to the new surfaces." Mr. Burchall will also be overseeing the capital project.

Meanwhile, Government is advising the aviation community and other airport users that during certain taxiway to runway tie-in phasing works, the airport's runway will be closed to all aircraft traffic between the hours of 10 p.m. to 6.30 a.m. the following morning.

Updates with regard to these work phases will come by way of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) Advisory Notification process.

However, Mr. Adderley said that the airport will be made available to aircraft should there be an emergency, with the aviation community and the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital already being advised of the planned works.

"While the majority of the works are to proceed at night during nonscheduled flight activities, contingency plans have been put in place to ensure that the airport runway is available in the event of an aircraft medical or mechanical emergency," Mr. Adderley continued.

For further information, contact Wendell Burchall, Manager Maintenance and Engineering, on 299-4802 or by email to wburchall@gov.bm.