At one of the world's busiest airports, a complex taxiway program improves airfield efficiency and supports the next era of expansion.
DESIGNER
2026
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) operates on an extraordinary scale. In 2025, CLT handled nearly 600,000 takeoffs and landings and ranked as the world’s seventh-busiest airport, while passenger counts increased by almost 10 million over the last decade.
As activity continued to climb, the airport advanced a long-term strategy to enhance safety, improve airfield movement, support continued growth and prepare for future expansion. A key step in that strategy was the North End Around Taxiway program, a multiphase infrastructure initiative that routes aircraft around the north end of the center runway instead of requiring arrivals on the westernmost runway to cross it on their way to the terminal.
The result is a more efficient airfield operation, expanded queuing space for arriving aircraft and a stronger foundation for CLT’s next generation of capacity improvements. As the airport’s program management consultant, HNTB provided program management and project support services, including scheduling, risk management, budget management, planning and document control.
Precision in every work window
Building in an active airfield environment presented program management complexities. Staging space for materials was limited and, because the center runway had to remain open during daytime hours, construction work often took place overnight.
“Work restrictions and inefficiencies have to be accounted for during design,” said Kathryn Wall, HNTB project controls manager. “A nighttime closure can be delayed by flight traffic and there is rarely opportunity to make that time up in the same shift. Moving materials in and out of a restricted site takes longer due to security inspections. To navigate these considerations, we coordinated work areas and haul routes to ensure the work was achievable so that each contractor could hand off seamlessly to the next.”
When CLT asked to explore opportunities to accelerate delivery, HNTB worked with the design, engineering and contractor teams to review schedules, recalibrate durations and identify ways to compress the timeline without compromising coordination.
The new taxiway opened in January 2025, about six months ahead of the original schedule.
“Delivering NEAT ahead of schedule required disciplined coordination across every phase of the program,” said Tom Greiter, HNTB program manager. “HNTB helped align schedules, contractors and work windows so the team could keep the airfield operating while advancing a critical piece of CLT’s long-term growth strategy.”
Award-Winning Impact
PROJECT OF THE YEAR
of Accredited Airport Executives
Clearing the way
While the 6,500-foot end-around taxiway and 1,200 feet of connector taxiways are the program’s most visible airfield improvements, NEAT required a broader set of enabling projects to make construction possible. In total, the program included 18 acres of concrete pavement and five additional major construction projects, including the relocation of two major roadways, jet fuel pipelines serving the airport’s fuel farm, a water main and natural gas pipelines.
To accommodate the taxiway’s development, CLT’s beloved Overlook, an observation area that gives visitors unobstructed airfield views, was relocated, expanded and reopened as a 270,000 square foot community space. With upgraded amenities, including a playground and an F-4 Phantom on display, the Overlook serves as a welcoming, inclusive, educational public space that celebrates both the airport’s history and future.
By the Numbers
6,500 FEET
of new end-around taxiway
1,200 FEET
of connector taxiways
18 ACRES
of concrete pavement
6 MONTHS
ahead of original schedule
“NEAT built the system and processes that we simply scaled up for the runway program. Leveraging the lessons learned and with the same consulting team in place, the good work done on the complex NEAT program has made it easy and seamless to tackle the $1 billion runway project.”
Advancing further expansion
The NEAT program began reshaping operations immediately, with benefits extending across the airfield. Airlines reported improved fuel efficiency because aircraft no longer stop and throttle up repeatedly while waiting to cross the center runway. Ramp controllers now receive arrivals one at a time rather than in large batches, reducing congestion and smoothing gate operations.
“On the taxiway’s opening day, some 400 to 500 aircraft utilized it, demonstrating how necessary the project was,” said Ashton Watson, CLT’s director of engineering. Beyond those immediate benefits, NEAT helped establish the systems, processes and team continuity now supporting CLT’s fourth parallel runway, a $1 billion project four times larger than NEAT. HNTB is serving as program manager for the runway program.
“NEAT built the system and processes that we simply scaled up for the runway program,” Watson said. “Leveraging the lessons learned and with the same consulting team in place, the good work done on the complex NEAT program has made it easy and seamless to tackle the $1 billion runway project.”
For CLT, NEAT is more than a new taxiway. It is a strategic investment in operational performance, long-term capacity and the systems needed to support one of the world’s busiest airports as it continues to grow.
SEE MORE ARTICLES
MORE DESIGNER STORIES
Aviation Insight Extra
Leveraging digital solutions to streamline runway reconstruction
In Transit
Designer
Designer