2004 Showcase In Excellence Award Winner

The Arizona State Quality Award Program has recognized the ADOT Aeronautics Division with a “Showcase in Excellence” Award for its Arizona Pavement Management System, (APMS). “This award is significant," said Barclay Dick, Aeronautics Division Director. "Even though it is a young program, it has already demonstrated its value to the airports in Arizona.”

The APMS program was initiated in 2000, to promote and improve the aviation pavement infrastructure throughout the State of Arizona. The overall objective of the project is to provide sound pavement repair recommendations based upon an objective, repeatable, and accepted assessment of pavement condition.

Michael Klein, Aeronautics Program Administrator for Airport Development, said the APMS program provides ADOT with a consistent objective and systematic procedure for setting priorities and schedules, allocating resources, and budgeting for airport pavement maintenance. “Every year the Division, utilizing the APMS, identifies airport pavement maintenance projects eligible for funding for the upcoming five years,” said Klein. Once a project has been identified and approved for funding by the State Transportation Board, the airport sponsor may enter into an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the Division, to participate in the Arizona Pavement Preservation Program.

Aero staff examines the condition of a runway

The APMS program has created, according to Klein, a greater bond and trust between airport sponsors and the Aeronautics Division by completing the pavement maintenance in a timely and cost-effective manner with minimal costs to the sponsor. Under the APMS program, the expenditures by the airport sponsors are reduced and the value of their runways, taxiways and aprons improve.

National interest in the APMS program has been generated from news stories and presentations. The National Association of State Aviation Officials featured the program in a recent newsletter and a presentation made to the International Slurry Seal Association has resulted in continued interest.

The first set of 19 airports in the program resulted in approximately $6 million in work. The second round included 14 airports and an investment of an additional $6 million. The third round and each year thereafter are expected to result in $3 to $4 million preventative maintenance projects per year. The funding is obtained by dedicating a portion of the funds previously allocated for development, to maintenance projects even though the responsibility for maintenance remains with the airport sponsor.

“It’s nice to see the value of the assistance that we give to airports, recognized through the Arizona Quality Alliance organization,” said Tammy Martelle, a Project Manager with the Aeronautics Division.

The Aeronautics Division was one of three Showcase awards received by ADOT. Partnering and Equipment Services were the other two groups who earned this prestigious award. The Awards are given in recognition of specific processes within an organization that demonstrates exceptional performance, innovation, excellence in comparison to competitors or similar organizations, and /or cutting-edge approaches that can be used as a role model.

Martelle, who was largely responsible for submitting the application, said, “Recognition for excellence is pretty encouraging. It makes you want to do even better.”