Engineers Week 2025 (Part 2): Halff Projects That Are Designing the Future

Happy Engineers Week (EWeek 2025), where we take time to celebrate how engineers make a difference in the world.  

For part one, we talked about engineering technologies over the years and how they’ve made a difference. Read below for part two!

Check out three recently completed Halff projects that are turning ideas into reality and designing a better future: the Fort Smith Airport Runway Extension and Arresting System, the Delta Reclamation Water Treatment Plant and the RM 620 Railroad Overpass/Roundabout.

Fort Smith Airport Runway Extension and Arresting System 

The Fort Smith Regional Airport Runway 8-26 Extension project took flight in 2021, involving complex design and construction to meet the airport’s operational needs.  

The Halff team played a critical role leading the construction management team, working with several other subconsultants to successfully complete the project within the 24-month deadline. The unconventional use of CMGC procurement on the project has paved the way for its use in other large airfield-heavy construction projects. 

Fort Smith Regional Airport Director Michael Griffin praised the quality and timeliness of the project: “The excellent work from the Halff team put together a quality design and ensured construction was completed within our demanding time frame.”

Halff was then contracted in May 2023 to lead the design phase on two aircraft arresting systems (AAS) for the same runway. Estimated to take 18 months under a normal construction pace, both AAS systems on Runway 8-26 were substantially completed and certified by the United States Air Force in August 2024. 

“An aircraft arresting system is a unique and specialized improvement; it’s not a common system on an airfield and is essentially a once-in-a-career type project for any aviation engineer,” commented Halff’s Brian Maurer, who served as the project manager.  

Often used on aircraft carriers, arresting systems (picture above shows cable engaging with the jet) are not as common on airfields and have been rarely applied.

The Fort Smith Runway 8-26 AAS stands as the only system installed on an airfield in the state of Arkansas to date, offering a unique safety approach for emergency landings. 

Halff also used the latest technological innovation in geotextile materials to allow construction to continue regardless of weather. This proved to be a major boon for the project schedule, as construction was able to continue during a very wet winter.  

Both projects demonstrated how future engineering methods are helping design the future—meeting and exceeding the demands of projects today! 

Delta Water Reclamation Plant

The Delta Reclamation Water Plant was honored with a 2023 Texas Rain Catcher Award from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB).

The first of its kind, the Delta Reclamation project is trailblazing water reclamation for Hidalgo County, Texas. This invention recaptures water from hundreds of miles of drainage ditches and creates a new regional source of water.  

Ultimately lessening water dependency on the Rio Grande, this innovative new water source will greatly help a region adversely affected by drought. Part of the project involves the creation of a 225-acre reservoir that contains advanced microfiltration and reverse osmosis to bring the water to a potable status. 

“[This project] is unique in the way it bridges the gap between flood mitigation and water treatment,” says Halff’s Civil Engineer Russell Limas, as it will “safeguard a better future for all of our communities.”  

RM 620 Roundabout

This unique roundabout at the Chisholm Trail Road intersection is bisected by the railroad tracks. It now enhances safety, efficiency and usability for all end users.

What had long been an impediment in the community is now an outstanding example of innovative and creative engineering design. 

Years in the making, the RM 620 Railroad Overpass and Roundabout project drastically improved a major east-west arterial roadway in Round Rock—a pressing need since as far back as the 1980s. The railroad crossing and resulting congestion posed challenges, reducing access to the nearby hospital and surrounding areas. With lack of alternative routes, this risked the lives of those needing urgent medical care.  

The innovative final design transformed the existing four-lane rural roadway into an overpass for the railroad tracks and a one-of-a-kind roundabout.

“This project took an Achilles heel of our transportation system and made moving from one side of town to the other almost feel like time travel” commented Round Rock Assistant City Manager Brooks Bennett.   

Awarded the 2025 Engineering Excellence Award gold honor from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Texas, this solution transformed a congested roadway into a safer, more efficient corridor that balances infrastructure needs. 

About the Firm 

Halff is an award-winning, employee-owned and full-service infrastructure consulting firm celebrating a legacy of 75 years of improving lives and communities. Founded in 1950 by Dr. Albert H. Halff, the firm has built a legacy of delivering innovative solutions with a people-focused approach. 

Operating from more than 30 offices across Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas, Halff is a leader in design excellence and community impact, earning 84 project awards since 2021. Ranked No. 87 on Engineering News-Record’s 2024 Top 500 Design Firms list, Halff is also a USA TODAY National Top Workplace for a third consecutive year.