After numerous studies concluded that nonstandard taxiway/runway geometry was a contributing factor in many runway incursions and wrong runway takeoffs/landings, the 2012 release of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular 150/5300-13A, “Airport Design,” included new standards and recommendations for airport design. The FAA Office of Airports, Airport Engineering Division requested the Airport Technology Research and Development Branch to conduct additional research into taxiway geometry as the start of a 10- to 15-year improvement program to identify and correct high-incident locations on airport taxiways/runways. This research consisted of developing a geographic information system (GIS) database inventory of pilot deviation (PD) and vehicle/pedestrian deviation (V/PD) runway incursions, problematic taxiway geometry (PTG) locations, and areas currently designated as hot spots. A construction cost-estimating tool was also developed.
The initial GIS database included an inventory of all PD and V/PD runway incursions at National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)-towered airports reported between October 1, 2007 (when the current definition of runway incursions was adopted) and September 30, 2013.
In addition, a cost-estimating tool was created to assist in preparing the rough order-of-magnitude costs associated with correcting various PTG and existing hot spots. The FAA Office of Airports and the respective Airports Regional and District Offices can use this tool to identify alternative solutions for eliminating PTG locations and the estimated cost associated with each. The cost estimate includes unit costs for all construction items adjusted for location, hub-size factor, and estimated design, construction management, and environmental assessment fees.
The combination of analysis and tools will allow the FAA Office of Airports to identify nonstandard taxiway/runway areas with high incidents of PD and V/PD runway incursions and assign a program cost to each issue as part of the multi-year improvement program.
DOT/FAA/TC-18/2
Authors: Lauren Vitagliano, Garrison Canter, and Rachel Aland