Taylor County Airport

TAYLOR COUNTY, KY

AVIATION

Palmer Engineering serves as the prime consultant for Taylor County Airport, providing comprehensive engineering, planning, environmental, pavement, and construction services. Over the course of this long-term partnership, Palmer has supported improvements throughout the airport, including pavement rehabilitation, a 1,500-foot parallel taxiway extension, a new terminal building, a 12-unit T-Hangar, airport master planning, and drainage evaluation.

A major component of Palmer’s work included a $2.15 million airport-wide pavement rehabilitation project, featuring runway and taxiway resurfacing, apron improvements, T-Hangar pavement replacement, and innovative pavement treatments. The project received an ACEC Engineering Excellence Award in 2021.

Palmer’s work has continued with the airport’s Master Plan, Airport Layout Plan (ALP), and Exhibit A update, as well as a drainage study to evaluate infrastructure beneath the runway and taxiway. Together, these projects demonstrate Palmer’s ability to support an airport from planning and design through construction and long-term infrastructure management.

Unique Aspects

Opportunities

Comprehensive Airport Development:
Palmer’s long-term relationship with Taylor County Airport has provided the opportunity to support improvements across the facility. The team’s work encompasses pavement, taxiway, terminal, hangar, planning, environmental, drainage, and construction services, allowing Palmer to bring multidisciplinary expertise to the airport’s evolving needs.
Planning for Continued Growth: Development of the Airport Master Plan, ALP, and Exhibit A provides the airport with tools to guide future development. Palmer combined surveying, aerial mapping, deed research, and aircraft forecasting to document existing conditions and help establish a framework for future facility needs.
Expanding Airport Facilities: Projects such as the parallel taxiway extension, new terminal, and 12-unit T-Hangar created opportunities to expand and enhance airport infrastructure while supporting its long-term operation and development.
Challenges

Addressing Pavement Distress: The airport-wide pavement project required solutions that addressed underlying microcracking while rehabilitating runway, taxiway, apron, and T-Hangar pavement. Palmer incorporated a reflective crack-relief interlayer and Kevlar-modified asphalt as part of the rehabilitation approach.
Navigating Aviation Requirements:
Airport improvements require careful coordination with aviation regulations and environmental requirements. The parallel taxiway extension was designed to meet FAA standards and required environmental assessment/ FONSI approval, while the T-Hangar project included FAA Section 163 land-use analysis and Environmental CATEX documentation.
Evaluating Critical Drainage Infrastructure: Palmer’s current drainage study will evaluate potential degradation of a 54- to 60-inch pipe beneath the runway and taxiway. Its location beneath critical airport pavement makes understanding the pipe’s condition important to planning future infrastructure needs.
Successes

Award-Winning Pavement Rehabilitation: Palmer provided pavement analysis, design, and construction oversight for the $2.15 million airport-wide rehabilitation project. The project received an ACEC Engineering Excellence Award in 2021, recognizing the engineering solutions incorporated into the improvements.
New and Improved Airport Infrastructure: Palmer helped deliver several significant improvements, including the 1,500-foot parallel taxiway extension, a new terminal building, and a 12-unit T-Hangar. Together, these projects have expanded and enhanced the airport’s facilities.
Long-Term Partnership: Rather than supporting a single assignment, Palmer has provided services across numerous projects and stages of development at the airport. From pavement rehabilitation and construction to facility expansion, master planning, and current drainage evaluation, that continuity has allowed Palmer to build extensive knowledge of the airport and its infrastructure.