Small Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Developmental
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (mon) 6
Distraction; Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Airport; Procedure
I will preface this by saying the airport is under major construction. Phase 4 had just rolled out with almost all brand new taxiway names and a new taxi route to Runway 20 involving using a closed Runway 14 as a taxiway up to Runway 20. I was working Ground Control and had Aircraft X taxiing to Runway 20; the active. He was instructed to taxi to Runway 20 via A4; Runway 14; and hold short of the yellow line and Runway 20. Our Tower had only been under the new taxi routes for a day and couple hours. Many pilots have been taxiing past the hold short bars for whatever reason regardless of reading back the hold short instructions: being unfamiliar; not understanding instructions; poor display of the hold bars and sign age for the runway. After making a right turn off of Taxiway A4 Aircraft X taxied down Runway 14. Instead of stopping at the new yellow hold short bars; Aircraft X blew past the line. I quickly issued a 180 degree taxi back to behind the yellow line to Aircraft X. Local and myself noticed at the same time and local sent around Aircraft Y; IFR; who was on 1 mile final on VFR approach. Once I saw Aircraft X cross back to the correct side of hold short bars; I re-issued hold short of Runway 20 at the yellow line. I believe this happened due to the new construction; poor signs and painting; pilot unfamiliarity/error; and hold short phraseology. I am including phraseology because standard and non standard variations of issuing hold short of Runway 20 have not worked on every pilot due to the weird placement of the hold bars and new signs.Many of my fellow controllers had wanted some sort of painting or sign improvement prior to this event happening. The yellow hold short bars; the small Runway 20 sign; and variations on hold short phraseology were not enough to keep previous pilots from crossing the hold bars. Also the Phase 4 project had not been live long; so an extra emphasis for pilots to be checking their NOTAMs and airport layout should be a priority for the pilots themselves.
STS Tower Controller describes situation where a runway incursion happened possibly due to airport construction.