Clean landing: Boston airport prepares nation’s 1st green runway, with low-temperature asphalt
By APSaturday, September 19, 2009
Clean landing: Mass. airport lays 1st green runway
BOSTON — Clean landings are about to get a new meaning at Boston’s Logan International Airport.
This weekend the airport expects to nearly finish the first runway in the nation repaved with an environmentally friendly material called warm-mix asphalt.
The asphalt is heated to a lower temperature than normal, burning less fuel and emitting less carbon.
Airport operator Massport says on this project that means a cut of 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide and 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel.
The last batch of the asphalt will be laid on Runway 9/27 this weekend, though the runway won’t reopen until later this year.
The $12.5 million project began in July.
Some European airports have used warm-mix asphalt, but it had to pass Federal Aviation Administration testing before Logan could use it.
