Ports completes $1.4M waterproofing project at Ponce’s Mercedita Airport
The Puerto Rico Ports Authority completed rehabilitating the waterproofing system in the passenger terminal of the Mercedita International Airport in Ponce, at a cost of $1.4 million, which was paid for with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds and the agency’s own money.
During the passage of Hurricane María in September 2017, the Mercedita Airport in Ponce experienced the rupture of the drainage pipes and the detachment of the roof waterproofing system, allowing water to enter the passenger terminal.
Emergency repairs were done in response, which allowed the use of the airport, Ports Executive Director, Joel A. Pizá-Batiz explained.
The project consisted of the removal of the existing waterproofing membrane, the repair of the roof surface, the replacement of the drains and the installation of a new waterproofing system on the entire roof of the terminal, impacting a total area of some 45,000 square feet.
This project joins others that they have been done in Mercedita since 2017, such as the reconstruction of the western portion of the Alpha runway, expansion of the boarding waiting area, application of asphalt emulsion to the extension of Runway 12-30 and the turning area, repairing the underground drainage in the extension of Runway 12-30, installation of the automatic meteorological observation system (AWOS), and the exterior lighting of the passenger terminal building.
Combined, these projects represent an investment of $12.8 million.
“Today, the Mercedita Airport has the best infrastructure it’s had in more than 20 years. With these recent improvements, Mercedita is ready to face the challenges of the future, with the necessary capacity to attract more airlines and flights,” said Pizá.
