PHL Taxiways U & Y Rehabilitation Recognized for Excellence!

Arora Engineers (Arora) provided Airfield Electrical Engineering and Construction Administration services for the award-winning rehabilitation of Taxiways U and Y at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). Managed by the City of Philadelphia’s Division of Aviation, the project reconstructed over 730,000 SF of aging pavement and modernized critical infrastructure, including drainage, taxiway geometry, and airfield lighting systems. Originally constructed in the 1980s, the deteriorated taxiways had posed operational challenges and were upgraded to meet current FAA safety and performance standards.

This impactful project earned multiple prestigious honors, underscoring its technical excellence, commitment to sustainability, and contribution to critical public infrastructure. The project was named the 2024 Project of the Year by the March of Dimes Transportation, Building & Construction Awards, recognizing its advancement of mobility and infrastructure quality. It also received the 2023 Envision Bronze Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, celebrating its achievements in sustainability, resilience, and stakeholder engagement.

Arora’s contributions were vital to the project’s success, including the design and layout of updated airfield lighting systems, development of FAA-compliant specifications, and comprehensive construction administration support.

Anson Tuhill, ACE, Airfield Electrical Designer at Arora, shared: “Working on the airfield lighting scope under the Taxiway U&Y project at PHL during the design phase was both challenging and rewarding. Whether from doing site survey(s) and finding additional scope items that were previously unknown to updating the overall lighting geometry to the latest FAA/Client standards, this project may seem small but was truly complex. I had the privilege of working and producing the bid documents and saw the project all the way through project closeout and completion. Watching a project start at a digital phase proceed to field installation is a remarkable process and is truly rewarding.”

For further insights on the project, click here!