Taxiway L Goes Operational at HSV

Huntsville International Airport recently opened Taxiway Lima (Taxiway L), connecting the airport’s 12,600-foot and 10,000-foot parallel runways. The new taxiway, which is 25 feet wider than the existing taxiways at Huntsville International Airport, is designed to accommodate Group VI aircraft. Construction of the taxiway spanned a 4-year period and totaled more than $8.5 million. The development of the new taxiway helps to ease traffic flow and allows aircraft to easily transition between the east and west runway, thus saving time as well as money associated with fuel cost.

According to Doug Kreulen, Director of Operations, Huntsville International Airport, “Taxiway L gives our airport a tremendous advantage and positions our facility to handle increasing volumes of air cargo aircraft well into the future. The new taxiway can accommodate any aircraft in existence today, including the A380 and 747-800. Putting this infrastructure in place today is critical to growing our air cargo business.”

The construction of Taxiway L is a step in the overall plan to modify the whole airport to a Group VI design. Kreulen aligns Taxiway L as putting together a major piece of the complete puzzle. A unique feature of Taxiway L is the tunnel underneath, which is a major safety component by allowing traffic to travel under the taxiway, thereby reducing the risk of runway incursions. As well, the tunnel allows for uninterrupted deliveries – such as the 12-14 trucks that deliver fuel daily – since trucks do not have to cross the taxiway.