Aecon named preferred contractor for Anguilla airport runway extension

Canadian construction firm Aecon has been issued an award letter for the extension of the runway at Clayton J Lloyd International Airport in Anguilla.

The company, which partnered with Caribbean-based Kelly Construction on the newly opened airport terminal, is expected to sign a contract for the project in the coming weeks.

Infrastructure minister Jose Vanterpool gave the update on the public procurement process during a government press conference on 6 July.

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He said the project’s preparation phase is likely to take place between July and September while construction will begin “towards the end of August or early September”.

In the meantime, the ministry will undertake consultations with airlines and other stakeholders on the phasing of the runway project, Vanterpool said.

Runway extension phases

The extension of the 1,633 metre runway will be carried out in seven phases, with some stages taking place simultaneously rather than sequentially.

Phase one will focus on the rehabilitation and strengthening of the apron and taxiway, followed by phase two, which will involve profiling and raising the runway.

Phase three will include extending the runway and relocating Tanglewood Road, while phase four will involve widening the runway.

Phase five will involve work on the runway end safety areas (RESAs) and turning pads at the ends of the runway, followed by resurfacing, grooving and painting works in phase six.

The final phase will involve constructing a partial parallel taxiway, with works expected to continue across multiple phases at the same time, with much of it taking place at night.

Land acquisition

Vanterpool revealed that land to the east of the airport has been acquired through compulsory acquisition to allow the works to move forward.

“That process has been completed. The two gazettes did go through, and so that land is now vested within the Crown,” he said during the press conference.

Lands minister Kyle Hodge explained that the next step is for the government and the landowners to come to an agreement in terms of compensation for the property.

“It takes quite a while. So while that is taking place, the compulsory acquisition process allows for government to be able to have the land registered in its name,” he said.

Meanwhile, the process of acquiring private land to the north of the airport is “ongoing”, Vanterpool said, adding that the lands director and his team are in communication with the various land owners.

Airport Masterplan

The newly opened terminal and extended runway are part of an EC$473 million project as envisioned in the government’s Airport Masterplan 2022-2041.

The plan explains that lengthening the runway is required for current commercial airlines to operate with maximum loads and to allow Anguilla to attract new operators with larger aircraft.

It will also mean the island will meet regulatory compliance and reduce its dependence on St Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport as a connecting hub, the plan says.

The aim is to extend the runway to the east to 2,068.8m – which equates to a 1,829m take-off length, as well as widening it from 30m to 45m.

This will allow it to accommodate the A220-300, EMB 175/190, A319 and similar aircraft up to about 120-seats.

Government land acquisition in Anguilla is governed by the Land Acquisition Act, which provides the legal framework for compulsory purchase of private land for public purposes.

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