Project:
Raleigh–Durham Program Management/
Construction Management

Client:
Raleigh–Durham Airport Authority

Project Cost:
$400 million

Project Duration: 2002–2009

Parsons Services: Project scope and budget, preconstruction (design and procurement) management,
cost estimating,
project controls,
quality assurance, construction phasing, construction management, construction scheduling, claims mitigation, contract administration, facility testing and startup, and contract closeout.

The Raleigh–Durham Aeronautical Authority (now the Raleigh–Durham Airport Authority) was chartered by the General Assembly of North Carolina in March 1939. In 1940, at the urging of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, Eastern Airlines President, the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the counties of Wake and Durham agreed to plan a regional airport. During World War II, the Army Air Corps used the new airport as a training facility. Eastern Airlines provided the first commercial service in May 1943 with flights to New York and Miami. The Airport Authority, now over six decades in existence, is an eight-member board responsible for the development, operation, and maintenance of Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU). RDU has two parallel runways and two terminals; it hosts eight major airlines and three regional carriers offering more than 230 flights each day, including nonstop service to over 40 destinations.

In 2002, RDU embarked on a major capital improvement program to expand and renovate Terminal C and related facilities. At its full buildout, Terminal C will have 35 jet gates and will be triple the size of the current terminal. Because this was the largest development program ever undertaken by the airport, RDU selected Parsons to serve as an extension of staff and provide program and construction management services for the Terminal C program.

The Terminal C program include the following tasks:

• Expand and renovate Terminal C
• Construct a new central energy plant (CEP)
• Relocate Taxiway D and expand the Terminal C ramp
• Construct the West Side Stormwater Management facilities

Rendering of New Terminal C Interior

The Terminal C Expansion and Renovation Program includes several major design-bid-build projects, the largest of which is the construction of a new Terminal C building. This new terminal is a 400,000-ft² processor building consisting of three levels and a basement, plus an attached 300,000-ft², two-level concourse. Major work includes site preparation, structural steel, roofing, curtain walls, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, passenger conveyance systems, baggage-handling system, information technology systems, and interior finishes. Related facilities include road and bridge construction, terminal curbsides with canopies, passenger boarding bridges, utilities, hydrant fueling, lighting, signage, pavement marking, and landscaping. Because Terminal C is an operating facility, it must be built in phases to maintain operations during construction. Parsons has scheduled the first phase of the Terminal C project to begin in January 2006; completion is scheduled for February 2008. The second phase of construction, which completes the central part of the concourse and the passenger-processing area, is scheduled for completion in October 2009.

New Terminal C Footprint

Before construction of the new Terminal can begin, a 140,000-ft² portion of the existing Terminal C will be demolished. The demolition contract also includes installing preconditioned air (PCA) and 400-Hz units to 13 existing passenger boarding bridges and relocating and installing information technology systems. This project is scheduled for completion in May 2005.

A new CEP will be constructed to provide heating, cooling, and emergency service to the terminal. The CEP includes a 15,000-ft² building with associated site work and installation of three water-cooled chillers, three oil-fired hot water boilers, and two emergency generators. The CEP will be connected to the new Terminal C through a 2,200-ft-long utility trench to be installed under active roadways and an adjacent taxiway. The CEP design accommodates the future reconstruction of Terminal A. The CEP is scheduled for completion in July 2006.

Taxiway D Relocation and Terminal C Apron Expansion	Stormwater Treatment Pond

The Taxiway D Relocation project supports the planned Terminal C expansion and renovation. The project includes removing and recycling existing airfield and roadway pavements; demolishing the existing wall and tunnel structures; constructing the new Taxiway D 385 ft north of the old Taxiway D, an airside vehicle service road, a new Taxiway D bridge, and retaining and security walls; relocating International Drive; and excavating and placing 230,000 yd² of earthwork. The project is scheduled for completion in November 2005.

The West Side Stormwater Management project included construction of a stormwater treatment pond, a discharge pipeline, and an overflow channel to a reservoir. These facilities are the receiving points for stormwater carried by a 2,700-ft-long, 84-in.-wide storm drain that was tunneled 45 ft under Runway 5L-23R. The 5-acre treatment pond has an average depth of 11 ft and required 150,000 yd³ of excavation. The primary outfall from the treatment facility is 73 ft of 60-in. pipe. An overflow channel was constructed adjacent to the 60-in. pipe to handle emergency flows. This project reached substantial completion in May 2004.

RDU General Aviation Terminal

Parsons also managed construction for the General Aviation Terminal project, a new steel-framed, two-story terminal that provides a noteworthy greeting place for corporate and general aviation customers. The new 22,000-ft² building houses a public restaurant, offices, pilot flight planning space, and crew rest areas. The facility was dedicated on December 17, 2003—the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

The 18-person Parsons Program Management Team is proud to assist the RDU Airport Authority with its Terminal C Expansion and Renovation Program. The Authority is creating both a world-class airport and a signature gateway to the dynamic Raleigh–Durham–Chapel Hill region.

Parsons’ selection and participation in the Raleigh–Durham International Airport Terminal C Expansion and Renovation Program is a current example of why Parsons is considered the world’s leader in aviation program management.

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