Two of the most common maintenance issues observed at airports are: 1. Cracking of the runways and taxiways and 2. Vegetation management — mainly vegetation growing out of the existing cracks on the runway and taxiways.
Eliminate the vegetation with an aggressive herbicide program utilizing both residual and foliar applied chemicals, and then seal the cracks with either a hot-applied or cold-applied sealer. This dual approach stops two hand-in-hand maintenance problems. Either TxDOT districts can do the work and include airports on crack seal contracts, or the airport sponsor can contract for herbicide application, clean up and crack seal. RAMP covers both of these scenarios.
Can the RAMP program assist in pavement evaluations and cleanup activities after the various types of storms that occur in Texas? Possibly, yes. Emergency situations due to storm activities such as lightning strike holes, tornado, hurricane, flood, fire, and wind damage or debris, sinkholes; and winter storm damage or pavement failure due to any of these events could fall under the qualifying guidelines of a RAMP grant. If damage is experienced at your airport due to a weather related event where the repairs are not eligible for FEMA or FHWA relief funding, the RAMP program could be a valuable resource to get the airport back on its feet and operating.
For more information or additional questions, please contact Megan Caffall at [email protected] or 512/416-4522.