Customer: Department of Port Administration, Contract: Construct  Location:  American Samoa

Fast Facts:  replacement of 100 – 153mm (4-6 inches) of asphalt, along 2133.6 metres (7,000 feet) of the 3048 metre (10,000 foot) runway. 45,000 tonnes of asphalt will be produced and paved over the next 12 months.

McConnell Dowell’s American Samoa branch was awarded the contract to resurface and rehabilitate the asphalt pavement on the primary runway at Pago Pago International Airport in mid-2023.

This is the ninth project McConnell Dowell has been awarded for the Pago Pago International Airport. The most recent were the successful completion of Stage One of Runway 5-23 in 2018 when 915m (3,000 feet) of the runway was upgraded and the Apron Rehabilitation Project in 2020. 

The upgrades will help improve the long-term durability and safety of the runway and have been carefully planned and coordinated with airlines, airport users, and the FAA to minimise any disruption.

Work includes the removal of old pavement, paint marking, relocating the segmented circle and lighted wind cone, electrical works, and the extension of the security perimeter fence. 

Our purpose is to Provide a Better Life for the communities we work in and we will recycle old millings from the upgrade to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, and the carbon footprint of the project. The old pavement is removed, crushed, and then reused as aggregate in the base course, a more efficient and cost-effective solution.

The team has 16 years of experience working at the airport and manages quality throughout the supply chain from quarry, to batching plant, to installation.

The on-island asphalt batching facility which produces asphalt for the airport project. was set up in 2005 and can produce 800 tonnes of asphalt a day with a total capacity of 120 tonnes.

Specialist equipment such as the Material Transfer Vehicle (MTV), will be used on the project. The MTV will feed asphalt steadily from truck to paver. This consistent supply of materials improves the quality of the pavement installation and the resulting surface. The MTV process ensures a uniform runway and a smooth ride for the customer. 

The upgrades are being funded by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the ‘Airport Improvements Programme and will help improve the long-term durability and safety of the runway. Work was carefully planned and coordinated with airlines, airport users, and the FAA to minimise disruption.

Construction began in October 2023, and is expected to be completed in November 2024.