Gale Associates, Inc., through its Airport Engineering & Planning Group, has been engaged to deliver engineering design and construction administration services for a major airfield rehabilitation at Mansfield Municipal Airport in Mansfield, MA. The work focuses on the airport’s primary airfield infrastructure and represents the first reconstruction of the airport’s main runway since 1993.
The scope of the project centers on the reconstruction of Runway 14-32, the airport’s primary runway asset. In addition, Taxiway A and the connecting stub taxiways are being rebuilt as part of a broader effort to bring the airfield’s pavement systems up to current Federal Aviation Administration standards. The improvements are described as aligning with FAA pavement design requirements, reflecting a full modernization of key operational surfaces rather than simple maintenance or patching.
The rehabilitation extends beyond pavement work to encompass important supporting infrastructure. Taxiways B, C, and D are receiving new edge lighting intended to improve safety and meet current guidance for airfield lighting. The airport’s drainage system is being upgraded in conjunction with the airfield work, indicating attention to long-term performance and resilience of the runway and taxiway surfaces.
Additional upgrades include installation of new airfield electrical infrastructure and a new electrical vault, along with new guidance signs, runway and taxiway lighting, navigational aids, and updated pavement markings. The project also calls for site restoration following construction, signaling a comprehensive approach that leaves both the airfield surfaces and surrounding areas in finished condition.
During the construction period, fixed-wing aircraft operations at Mansfield Municipal Airport will be temporarily suspended to accommodate the runway and taxiway work. Construction is expected to last approximately three months, according to information provided by Gale Associates. Despite the suspension of fixed-wing activity, Boston MedFlight will continue to operate from the airport throughout the project, ensuring that emergency medical transport services remain available to communities in Southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
According to Gale Associates, the continuation of Boston MedFlight operations during the work underscores the airport’s ongoing role in regional emergency response while critical airfield infrastructure is being modernized. Once completed, the project will leave Mansfield Municipal Airport with a reconstructed primary runway and updated lighting, electrical, and drainage systems designed to current FAA standards.
