January/February 2023 - 36

PROJECT OF THE MONTH
Slot drains provide a long horizontal
product encased in concrete to
allow for easier maintenance. Water
comes in from two directors while the
small grate size and length of the drain
make it less susceptible to clogging.
A slot drain lies up to one-quarter
Slot drains collect snow and rainwater,
which Jackson Hole filters before releasing
into the environment.
of an inch below the surface levels, so
snow removal equipment won't get
hung up on the unit. Slot drains are
available in plastic, metal and concrete.
Steel was chosen for JAC because it's
strength and it is the most sustainable
of the three options.
" The product at the Jackson Hole
airport ordered is probably the beefiest
that we can design and manufacture, "
said Rob Chapman, director
for Contech Engineered Solutions.
Slot drains provide a long horizontal
product encased in concrete to allow for
easier maintenance.
" Traditionally it's aluminized Type 2
steel with the grate in it. This application
had a polymeric film. That just
gives it a little bit extra durability to
get that service life to last well beyond
their next few runway rehabs they do. "
Contech's slot drain system was
chosen for the JAC project. The contractor
and engineer were brought to
Contech's facility in Indiana so they
could see the materials and provide
design input to have knowledge of the
system before installation.
" Cost, speed of installation, long
The slot drains will capture water from
Jackson Hole's heavy annual snowfall
totals.
runway, " Elwood said. " Water on the
runway can have different things in
it, so it's not in the best interest to
not treat it. "
The airport board committed to
installing 29,000 linear feet of slot
drains along the runway. They run
immediately adjacent to the runway
pavement and outside the shoulder
of the runway. This allows JAC to
collect water from snow plowed off
the runway and as it melts.
term durability and strength were
all important, " Bob Moore, Region
Engineer for Contech said. " The steel
product met all those requirements
that they were looking for. It was just
the best fit for the job. "
The contractor installed a small
section of slot drain the summer before
the project to test it.
Once proven, it allowed Contech
to move forward with building the
system.
It took Contech five months to
manufacturer the system for JAC. The
company contended with supply chain
issues and needed to ensure it was able
to get the necessary materials to be
ready in time for the installation.
" We were placing our steel orders
many months in advance, " Chapman
said. " When they contacted us to
potentially supply the slot drains, we
36 \ AIRPORT BUSINESS / JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
had to start investigating raw material
sources at our steel mills to make sure
that they could supply enough material
in a timely fashion so we could
get started soon enough in order to
get everything completed, bundled on
time and then ready to ship. "
A Team Effort
for Success
The entire project faced a fast and
ridged timeline for completion along
with additional weather challenges.
Jackson Hole got 5 inches of snow
the first day the runway closed, so
airport crews had to plow the airfield
so the contractor could see engineering
marks.
Elwood said weather issues were
constant throughout the project, but
airport staff assisted contractors with
any help they needed, set up a quiet
room for workers inside JAC's fire
station and shared the importance
of the work being completed with
the community.
" I've been doing projects at airports
going on 40 years and without
question this is the most collaborative
project that I've had the honor of
being part of, " Elwood said.
Knife River used proprietary techniques
to install the slot drain system
on time, with Contech providing
additional information to assist with
potential challenges along the way.
" We provided our expertise and
they modified it to fit them, " Moore
said. " There was a lot of idea sharing
on our end so we could be a valuable
resource for the contract and engineer
of record. "
Elwood said developing a true
partnership was key to accomplishing
the project. You have to build
a collaborative environment with
strong communication to ensure
all of the stakeholders understand
the various elements of a project
and find ways to support each other
throughout the program.
" Plan everything you can before a
project, " he said. " If you plan well,
the project has a much better chance
of being successful. " 
January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January/February 2023
