Korda wins 2025 Project Excellence Award by the Ohio Stormwater Association

As part of the $2 billion terminal expansion at John Glenn International Airport, one of the first big steps was giving the Red Lot a major upgrade—almost doubling its size. Now covering nearly 40 acres, the expanded lot offers around 5,000 parking spaces and comes with a range of improvements, including bright new LED lighting and updated ticketing facilities.

But what really stands out in this project is the cutting-edge stormwater management system. It’s not just impressive—it’s historic. This is the largest StormTech system ever installed in Ohio by volume, and it’s among the top 10 biggest in the entire country. Designed by Korda Nemeth Engineering and provided by Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS), the system handles stormwater runoff more efficiently, helping to reduce flood risks and improve the water quality in Turkey Run.

The new system reroutes runoff from areas north of the airport into a buried section of Turkey Run. As that water passes through the ADS system’s isolator rows and special gravel backfill, it gets filtered before flowing back into Turkey Run. From there, it travels to Mason Run, then to Big Walnut Creek, eventually joining the Scioto River and making its way to the Ohio River. Thanks to this advanced filtration and flood control system, the project is making a real difference in protecting downstream waterways from erosion and pollution.  The project didn’t stop at water management. It also added a few dozen vehicle charging stations with expandability to provide many more.  Thus, proving that even a parking lot can play a big role in environmental sustainability.