The Intermodal Project, a collaborative effort of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, working in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, will drastically enhance the travel experience.

The project is broken into four major areas of construction - the Terminal End Improvements (TEI); the skywalk; the customer service operations building (CSO) and the parking garage and fueling platforms.  These four major components of the Intermodal project are being built concurrently.

At any given time, there could be up to 14 sub-contractors on-site working under project manager Gilbane.   

The project will take an anticipated 530,000 man hours to complete and at peak construction will have 300 workers on site.  Once completed, the $267 million transportation hub, with its MBTA commuter rail platform, will be the closest rail line (1,570 feet) to a major airport terminal in the country.

Construction Outlook

Terminal End Improvements (TEI)

Work at the TEI site includes removal of the existing canopy glass and site prep at the departures level.  Footings have been excavated and foundations continue to be poured.  After concrete is poured it is insulated to keep it warm while the concrete is curing.

Skywalk

The first steel support was raised upright and formed in late January.  For each support, the construction process consists of first drilling mini piles, then filling the holes with grout, the mini piles are then cut and a pile cap is poured.  A rebar cage is formed by steel workers and a custom made wooden form is placed around the cage.  Finally concrete is poured using a 1 ½ cubic yard bucket.  Concrete is lifted by crane and placed into the 35 foot high pier.  The pier is filled with concrete at a rate of approximately 3 feet per hour. The pouring of the first concrete pier started around 7:30am and was completed at approximately 6:00pm.  After the concrete was cured the forms were then removed.

In total there will be 5 larger single piers and 8 double piers comprising the skywalk base. 

Customer Service Operations Building (CSO)

Steel was delivered to the site in January.  Construction was immediate and will continue throughout February.  Structural steel has been erected; the steel workers will now detail and frame the decking.  Masonry and utility work will start in March.

Garage and Fueling Platforms

Approximately 25% of the mini piles remain to be installed.  These piles are located in the Amtrak right-of-way.  The site has been prepped for construction.  Blakeslee Precast started forming the concrete pieces for the garage in September of 2008.  These large pre-cast concrete sections are being stored off sight and will be methodically pieced together.  300 ton crane will be mobilized on site the second week of February.  The precast installation will begin at the fueling platform and move south.  When complete the garage structure will contain approximately 3,400 sections of pre-cast concrete.


For more information on the Intermodal Facility at T.F. Green Airport, visit www.pvdairport.com and click on the construction button at the bottom of the homepage.