As of January 10, 2008, the rehabilitated Runway 17-35 at Ormond Beach Municipal Airport has been reopened after being closed for just three months.

In 1998, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) conducted a pavement analysis indicating a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) rating of 50.  Any rating below 60 indicates that the pavement is beyond its useful life, and eligible for rehabilitation with federal grant assistance funds.  In 2002, the FDOT had again advised the City of the deteriorating runway pavement conditions, and estimated the PCI to be near or below 40 (based on the projected deterioration curves estimating a PCI of 45 in the year 2000). 

Of particular concern was the runway defect of large areas of narrow rippling that were creating significant vibrations for heavier, twin-engine aircraft.  These ripples have narrow cracks in the top of the failure pattern indicating localized overlay swelling.  Water may have been trapped under the old overlay course of the runway, worsening the condition of the runway.  A visual inspection of the runway also indicated heavy oxidation with raveling (loose particles of pavement on the runway surface that can fly up and damage aircraft), moderate longitudinal and transverse cracking, with small areas showing both depressions and swelling, and portions of the runway with standing  water, creating immediate safety concerns after a rainfall. 

With safety as the primary goal for this rehabilitation project, Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, Inc. provided the design and construction management of the $1.4 million pavement rehabilitation of the runway.   The project included the milling of 2.25” off the existing pavement structure and overlaying with FAA P401(SP) bituminous surface course, runway marking, construction of two 150’ x 120’ blast pads on the Runway ends, and new threshold lighting and light lens replacement for the existing stake mounted lights on Runway 17-35. 

After the design was completed in January of 2007, additional federal and state grant funds were secured and the construction began in October.  The airport closed its operations for a planned 48 continuous hoursto allow the paving contractor to complete the intersection work, but required less than half that time.