Victoria International Airport (YYJ) runway extension project (1,455 feet)

[Nizx]

Should anyone be curious, there appears to be some activity towards the end of runway 09; the West side of the airport by West Saanich Road. It looks like either a large berm is being built, or perhaps, the start of building up the land in preparation for the future runway expansion.

[Mike K.]

Thanks for the heads up, and welcome to VV, Nizx!

[Bernard]

Originally Posted by Nizx

Should anyone be curious, there appears to be some activity towards the end of runway 09; the West side of the airport by West Saanich Road. It looks like either a large berm is being built, or perhaps, the start of building up the land in preparation for the future runway expansion.

I saw that when I was driving by there yesterday morning. I wanted to stop but I was short on time. If the earth that has been moved is to part of the runway, the runway will be very close to the road on the western end

[Mike K.]

I was by there yesterday and stopped to take a couple of photos of the mound (I'll have to post them later). One would think that any major dirt digging would be tied in some way to the runway extension, but then again it might be something completely unrelated.

Anyhow, at the western end the runway will extend roughly half-way between the current tip of the runway and West Saanich Rd, so much closer to the road than it is now.

[Sparky]

This what Mike and Nizx are refering to.

[Mike K.]

Thanks, Sparky, you saved from downloading the photos from my phone

[Sparky]

^ No problem Mike. With my iphone 4 I use "dropbox" cloud storage. Simply upload your photos to dropbox when you are in a wifi area. Then you can access your dropbox from any computer and voila there are your pictures. Takes less than 10 seconds to upload a pic. Free app. Free 2 gig storage.

If it ain't for free........it ain't for me.

[Mike K.]

Downloading it as I write this Thanks!

This is the second cool app in as many days I've come across. Just as an aside, download Viber, it's a free app (free to download/use) that allows you to call or text any iPhone anywhere in the world by dialing that iPhone's number (provided the receiver has Viber too). Very cool and simpler to use than Skype.

[LJ]

That's all pre-load for the extension.

[G-Man]

But has the extension been approved? I have seen nothing in the media about it.

[Mike K.]

Thanks for the info, LJ. Considering dirt is on the move the extension is likely a go.

[G-Man]

I am not so sure this is for runway extension. When you come down Mill Road this is really just a small pile of dirt right at the road and not really very close to the runway.

[Nparker]

Originally Posted by G-Man

I am not so sure this is for runway extension...

My thoughts exactly when I saw this a few weeks back.

[Mike K.]

You call that a small pile of dirt?

Hypothetically speaking, if it is for the runway, it wouldn't be stored immediately adjacent to the runway for a number of reasons.

[rchauhan]

There are three possibilities I can think of:

1. New taxiway exit from runway 09 to taxiway S.
2. Extension of approach lighting on runway 27 by 320 m (1,050 ft).
3. Full parallel taxiway E to runway 09/27.

All of these are targets in the 1-5 year plan.

[Mike K.]

Could be any of those three, for sure.

But I wonder whether the VAA would go ahead with a taxiway and approach light extension on the eve of a runway extension yay or nay?

[LJ]

Originally Posted by Mike K.

You call that a small pile of dirt?

Hypothetically speaking, if it is for the runway, it wouldn't be stored immediately adjacent to the runway for a number of reasons.

Preload is not stored, it is working to compact the land where the new runway portion/taxiway/whatever is to be built. It will be removed prior to any construction. The preload for the new runway at YVR sat in place for over 18 months prior to the start of any construction.

There is no problem having the material in place adjacent to the runway, they can just displace the runway end as required or shut down certain instrument approaches that might conflict with the clearway.

[renthefinn]

Originally Posted by LJ

Preload is not stored, it is working to compact the land where the new runway portion/taxiway/whatever is to be built. It will be removed prior to any construction. The preload for the new runway at YVR sat in place for over 18 months prior to the start of any construction.

There is no problem having the material in place adjacent to the runway, they can just displace the runway end as required or shut down certain instrument approaches that might conflict with the clearway.

Technically it's the surcharge that is typically removed after the preloading period. The preload typically includes the entire loading i.e. surcharge, and anything being left over as embankment. In many cases you can leave the entire preload in place as permanent embankment once the preloading period is done, without any surcharge to remove. In rare cases you may remove the entire preload and replace with other embankment materials, this usually doesn't happen as much as it's quite costly to double haul materials. Not sure how this was designed, but it definitely looks like preload of some sort, though it's hard to tell from the picture if any settlement gauges or other preloading instrumentation is installed.

[LJ]

Originally Posted by renthefinn

Technically it's the surcharge that is typically removed after the preloading period. The preload typically includes the entire loading i.e. surcharge, and anything being left over as embankment. In many cases you can leave the entire preload in place as permanent embankment once the preloading period is done, without any surcharge to remove. In rare cases you may remove the entire preload and replace with other embankment materials, this usually doesn't happen as much as it's quite costly to double haul materials. Not sure how this was designed, but it definitely looks like preload of some sort, though it's hard to tell from the picture if any settlement gauges or other preloading instrumentation is installed.

There will be no embankments left over, it will be hauled away. It may be used as road base or some other use but it will not be used in position.

[Nizx]

Was near the airport and so took some pictures of the work at the end of runway 09. I think they are now starting to fill in the space behind the initial berm near West Saanich road. Still, there is a tremendous amount of space between the threshold of the runway, and where the work is currently being done. If they are in fact building the area up, they have many more dump truck loads to go.

From atop IOS berm - 1
From atop IOS berm - 2
From atop IOS berm - 3
From atop IOS berm - 4
From atop IOS berm - 5
From atop IOS berm - 6
From Mills road - 1
From Mills road - 2

Interesting note, I believe that device in the IOS - 3 picture is a device that measures radiation levels. I recall seeing a picture of it in the newspaper advertised as such.

[Bingo]

Where is all the dirt coming from? Are they building a tunnel to the mainland?

[Mike K.]

Nizx, thanks for the photos.

From that vantage point the dirt definitely look too far away to be for the runway extension, but then who knows.

[gumgum]

I've seen it in person and it's really not that much dirt.

[LJ]

Nizx - good pics.

Having now seen it rather than having it described I change my mind.

It is more likely build up for the runway overrun area rather than preload for the actual extension.

I will find out for sure.

[Mike K.]

Thanks, LJ.