Runway 2L-20R Set to Re-open at Nashville International Airport

After 89,564 tons of asphalt, 66,048 cubic yards of concrete, 23,981 tons of stone, 87,435 tons of recycled concrete, 26,807 tons of recycled asphalt, 9.26 miles of cable, and 2.96 miles of silt fence, Nashville International Airport’s (BNA) oldest runway is ready to re-open. Runway 2L-20R is scheduled to re-open the week of Aug. 30 after a year-long reconstruction effort to enhance its safety. While this runway was closed, BNA’s three other runways, 13-31, 2R-20L and 2C-20C, handled all traffic, resulting in increased aircraft overflights along existing flight patterns.

“This runway reconstruction project underscores the Nashville Airport Authority’s commitment to providing the highest quality of infrastructure and safe air transportation services to the traveling public and boosting economic development in our region,” said Raul Regalado, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, which owns and operates BNA and John C. Tune Airport. “Safe facilities are fundamental to providing the Nashville Airports Experience to our passengers and partners.”

The runway was reconstructed with a new grooved concrete surface and an improvement of 35-foot wide asphalt shoulders. The addition of shoulders improves the safety and integrity of a runway for all aircraft. The scope of work included, but is not limited to, erosion control, demolition and crushing of concrete, asphalt milling and removal of pavement, perimeter underdrain installation, grading, concrete paving, asphalt paving, airfield electrical, pavement marking, and seeding. Reconstruction on this runway included demolishing and crushing the existing concrete and reusing the material as a base for the reconstructed runway. In addition, some of the asphalt was recycled and reused.

This project generated approximately 300 jobs. The Harper Company was awarded the contract, which included disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) partners’ involvement representing 7.78 percent of the total contract. Additional subcontractors included Division 2 Contractors, Hi-Lite Markings, Hypower, Inc., and LoJac.

Runway 2L-20R was previously repaired in the mid 1970s and is one of the airport’s primary runways, accommodating much of BNA’s air cargo traffic. Runway 2L-20R is 7,703 feet long and 150 feet wide and has a grooved concrete surface.