Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport

BOONE & KENTON COUNTIES, KY

AVIATION

Since 2015, Palmer Engineering has provided a wide range of aviation engineering services at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), supporting infrastructure improvements within the complex environment of a major commercial airport. Palmer’s work has included pavement and parking improvements, roadway projects, drainage systems, traffic operations, ground transportation facilities, pedestrian improvements, and select airside assignments.

Through on-call assignments and project-specific contracts, Palmer has developed practical, constructible solutions while helping maintain airport operations and coordinating with CVG, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC), contractors, utilities, and other stakeholders. Projects have ranged from pavement evaluations covering approximately 50 acres of parking facilities to roadway widening, terminal-area drainage improvements, ground transportation facilities, and traffic analysis supporting major airport development.

Unique Aspects

Opportunities

Improving Landside Infrastructure: Work at CVG has addressed interconnected infrastructure needs, including roadways, parking, drainage, pedestrian and transit improvements, and ground transportation facilities.
Extending Pavement Performance: Evaluations of key airport roadways and approximately 50 acres of parking facilities included pavement testing and analysis to develop and compare rehabilitation strategies.
Supporting Future Transportation Needs: Traffic analysis and simulation for the proposed Consolidated Rental Car Facility (CONRAC) helped inform design decisions and support efficient traffic flow.
Challenges

Maintaining Airport Operations: Infrastructure improvements required careful planning to accommodate ongoing airport activity while construction and rehabilitation work progressed.
Coordinating Multiple Stakeholders: Projects required close coordination with CVG, KYTC, utilities, contractors, and other stakeholders to address traffic control, utilities, field conflicts, and construction activities.
Adapting to Field Conditions: During the Economy Parking Lot rehabilitation, changing field conditions required adaptable design solutions throughout construction.
Successes

Improving Airport Access and Circulation: Roadway and ground transportation improvements included widening 0.61 miles of Ted Bushelman Boulevard, Ground Transportation Center improvements, and terminal-area roadway projects.
Enhancing Pedestrian and Transit Access: A new bus stop, shelter, and HAWK pedestrian crossing improved transit access and safety for employees traveling to nearby employment centers.
Providing Long-Term, Multidisciplinary Support: Since 2015, on-call and project-specific assignments have addressed pavement, transportation, drainage, construction, utilities, traffic operations, and other infrastructure needs at CVG.