Name and Location
Cape Town International Airport runway realignment project, Western Cape, South Africa.

Client
Airports Company South Africa (Acsa).

Project Description
Acsa proposes to realign the existing primary runway at Cape Town International Airport.

The airport currently comprises two active runways – the primary runway (Runway 01-19) and a secondary runway (Runway 16-34), which bisects the primary one.

The project proposes to realign the primary runway and construct parallel and rapid exit taxiways.

The realigned primary runway (Runway 18-36) will be 3 500 m long and will be built to international specifications, allowing for larger (Code F) aircraft to land at the airport, enabling airport expansion and increased airport capacity.

In addition to this realignment, the project will include a taxiway system; infrastructure, such as an aircraft isolation pad, a compass calibration pad and an aircraft run-up area; security facilities; service roads; buildings and service infrastructure; the upgrade of the stormwater management system; and bulk earthworks for the sourcing and on-site use of cut/fill material.

The realignment of the runway will alleviate current development constraints, and will allow for more efficient future expansion of the airport.

Value
Not stated.

Duration
Construction is expected to take between 24 and 30 months to complete.

Latest Developments
Stakeholders were given until August 1 to comment on the final environmental-impact assessment (EIA) scoping report.

The scope of work assessed by consultants SRK Consulting during the EIA process included the realignment of the runway; the construction of associated airport infrastructure such as taxiways; proposed bulk earthworks to the east of the airport; the potential capacity increases that would be provided for by the development; and the associated increase in external public road traffic.

Key environmental issues identified by SRK included impacts on air quality, owing to a potential increase in emissions from increased aircraft numbers and dust generated by the proposed bulk earthworks, as well as a potential increase in noise levels in some areas surrounding the airport, owing to a shift in flight paths.

The loss of wetlands to the east of the existing airport, as a result of the bulk earthworks, was also a concern, along with the loss of the remaining indigenous vegetation and habitats on these wetlands.

Further, excessive earthworks and the clearing of invasive alien vegetation to the east of the airport could also potentially affect the groundwater, the scoping report found.

Socioeconomic factors identified included a potential increase in factors such as noise and dust, and impacts on land use.

However, local and regional economic benefits are also expected, owing to the increased tourism, and import and export activity at the airport.

Should this expansion continue, there will also be an increase in demand for other modes of transport to and from the airport, SRK notes.

To deal with the potential issues and impacts identified in the scoping report, SRK proposes a range of specialist studies be undertaken.

These include studies on air quality, noise and vibration, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, hydrogeology, socioeconomic factors and transport.

Further, specialist input, rather than a full specialist study, is recommended for stormwater and visual aspects.

Once the specialist studies have been completed, the results will be collated into an EIA report and an environmental management plan.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
SRK Consulting (EIA scoping report)

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
ACSA, tel +27 11 723 1400 or fax +27 11 453 9353.
SRK Consulting, tel +27 21 659 3060, fax +27 21 685 7105 or email capetown@srk.co.za.