Juan Santamaria International Airport, located in Costa Rica, is one of Central America’s busiest air travel hubs. Serving millions of passengers annually, the airport plays a critical role in regional connectivity and economic activity. However, the airport has faced increasing challenges with wet weather, particularly during the rainy season, when heavy downpours can compromise runway safety.
Recently, pilots expressed concerns about landing during wet conditions, prompting the need for a swift and effective solution to enhance runway performance.
To address this issue, our global team at Roadgrip Airports was contracted to groove 56,000 square meters of the airport’s runway. The grooving focused on the central 20 meters—10 meters on either side of the centerline. The grooves, precisely cut to 6mm deep and spaced 38mm apart, were designed to significantly improve water drainage and reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
While the entire runway wasn’t grooved due to a planned rehabilitation program set to replace it in the future, the immediate need for improved safety during the rainy season made this project a priority.
Given the airport’s operational demands, all work was conducted during 4-hour night-time windows to minimise disruption to flights. Over two months, from September to November 2024, we completed the grooving on schedule, just in time for the arrival of a particularly wet weather band.
The impact of the grooving was immediate, as you can see in the gallery photos where the runway looks dry on the grooved areas. The grooves effectively dissipated standing water, ensuring better traction for aircraft during landings and takeoffs.
Our client expressed great satisfaction with the results, praising our team for its precision, flexibility, and ability to navigate logistical challenges to deliver the project on time. The success of this project underscores the critical role of runway grooving in ensuring safe, reliable operations, even in the face of adverse weather conditions.
It also highlights Roadgrip’s commitment to safety, quality, and client satisfaction, and we’re proud to have played a part in enhancing the operational resilience of such an important airport in that part of the world.
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