A runway that handles more than half of all departures at New York John F. Kennedy International airport will close for construction during four months next year, part of a larger delay reduction programme at the facility.
To account for the widening of runway 13-31 from 1 March through 29 June, the airport's remaining three runways will be utilized at full capacity.
Airlines are adjusting schedules as the longest runway is widened from 150ft (45.72m) to 200ft and as six inches of existing asphalt is milled and overlaid with 18 inches of concrete at a cost of $290 million
The runway closure will occur at the airport's slowest time of the year, but the system will not be free from delays, a spokesman for airport operator The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) says. But he believes the long-term benefits of repaving the runway outweigh short-term inconveniences.
The airport is expected to save 10,500 hours annually in delay avoidance, the PANYNJ spokesman explains, adding that concrete will last for up to 40 years compared with the eight- to 12-year life of asphalt.
In addition, new runway lighting, electrical infrastructure and electrical feeder systems and accommodations for future navigational aids will also be installed.
Other elements of the total $376.3 million programme include the construction of additional access points on nearby taxiways, new taxiways to improve aircraft queuing and generate swifter departures and creating easier access from taxiways to terminal gates. Work on these elements will be complete by 2011.
Kennedy airport serves 48 million passengers annually and had roughly 440,000 flights last year.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
