Title
Airport Fourth Parallel Runway 1C-19C and Connectors Change Order
Action
Action:
A. Approve change order #3 for $9,638,706.46 to the contract with Hi-Way Paving, Inc. and ES Wagner Company, LLC, a Joint Venture, for the Fourth Parallel Runway 1C-19C and Connectors Project,
B. Authorize the City Manager to execute a Specific Operating Agreement with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte for the Airfield Pavement Management System - Digital Twin Technology research initiative, and
C. Authorize the City Manager to amend the Specific Operating Agreement consistent with the purpose for which the agreement was approved.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Haley Gentry, Aviation
Jack Christine, Aviation
Background
§ The Fourth Parallel Program will enhance airfield capacity and operational efficiency and reduce the number of active runway crossings.
§ This project includes the construction of Runway 1C-19C and associated connector taxiways.
§ The project is anticipated to be complete by the first quarter of fiscal year 2028.
Explanation
Action A
§ On December 9, 2024, City Council approved a contract with Hi-Way Paving, Inc. and ES Wagner Company, LLC, a Joint Venture, for $163,084,231 for the Fourth Parallel Runway 1C-19C and Connectors project.
- Change order #1 was to extend the contract by one day due to weather delays and did not impact the total value of the contract.
- Change order #2 was to extend the contract by five days due to weather and operational delays and did not impact the total value of the contract.
§ Change order #3 will provide for runway nomenclature marking and signage updates to the three existing parallel runways in preparation for the fourth parallel runway becoming operational and the installation of an Airfield Pavement Management System in partnership with University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Aviation Innovation and Research (AIR) Institute.
§ This change order is necessary due to receiving no bids on three different occasions for implementing the runway nomenclature changes as a stand-alone contract. In addition, the partnership with the AIR Institute for the Airfield Pavement Management System occurred after the original contract was bid.
§ The new total value of the contract including change order #3 is $172,722,937.46.
Action B
§ On September 1, 2025, the city entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the AIR Institute to collaborate on research initiatives aimed at advancing the aviation industry with a specific focus on enhancing operations at the Airport.
§ This agreement will provide for the Airfield Pavement Management System - Digital Twin Technology research initiative, which will embed pavement sensors within the fourth parallel runway to provide real-time data and insights into pavement performance and management needs. This data will be used by the Airport for day-to-day operational analysis and by the Federal Aviation Administration to enhance future airfield pavement design criteria.
§ As part of this initiative, the AIR Institute is providing approximately $1,500,000 of federal grant and university funding toward the project.
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
This is a federally funded contract with a DBE goal that was in place prior to October 3, 2025. In accordance with the USDOT Interim Final Rule issued October 3, 2025, the DBE portions of the contract are not required to be amended, but DBE participation cannot be counted toward the DBE contract goal or the Airport’s overall DBE program goal at this time.
Fiscal Note
Funding: Aviation Capital Investment Plan