Airport Pavement Management System (APMS)

Purpose

The airport system in Arizona is a multimillion dollar investment of public and private funds that must be protected and preserved. State aviation fund dollars are limited, and the State Transportation Board recognizes the need to protect and extend to the maximum amount the useful life of the airport system's pavement. This program, Arizona Pavement Preservation Program (APPP), is established to assist in the preservation of the Arizona airport system infrastructure.

Background

Public Law 103-305 requires that airports requesting federal AIP funding for pavement rehabilitation or reconstruction have an effective pavement maintenance management system. To this end, ADOT's Aeronautics Group, part of MPD, has completed and is maintaining an Airport Pavement Management System (APMS) that, coupled with monthly pavement evaluations by the airport sponsors, fulfills this requirement.

The APMS uses the Army Corps of Engineers' Micropaver program as a basis for generating a Five-Year APPP. The APMS consists of visual inspections of all airport pavements. Evaluations are made of the types and severities observed and entered into a computer program database. Pavement Condition Index (PCI) values are determined through the visual assessment of pavement condition in accordance with the most recent FAA Advisory Circular 150/5380-6 and range from 0 (failed) to 100 (excellent). Every three years, a complete database update with new visual observations is conducted. Individual airport reports from the update are shared with all participating system airports. The Aeronautics Group ensures that the APMS database is kept current and in compliance with FAA requirements.

Every year the Aeronautics Group, utilizing the APMS, identifies airport pavement maintenance projects eligible for funding for the upcoming five years. These projects will appear in the state's Five-Year Airport Development Program. Once a project has been identified and approved for funding by the State Transportation Board, the airport sponsor may elect to accept a state grant for the project entering into a grant agreement with the State. The APMS program, as with all ADOT-Aeronautics programs, requires a grant agreement.