Newark Liberty International Airport will restore a closed runway on Monday, ending weeks of delays and pandemonium at the transport hub.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will conduct a news conference at the airport on Monday to mark the runway’s reopening.
Runway 4L-22R, which is 11,000 feet long, has been undergoing “planned rehabilitation” after showing “significant signs of wear” and has now been deemed safe and up to Federal Aviation Administration standards, according to a release from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates Newark Airport.
It was recently restored in 2014, and runways are normally rebuilt every ten years, according to the statement.
According to the statement, the $121 million project started in early March and was scheduled to be completed by June 15. The renovation involved “milling and paving the runway surface, updating lighting, improving airfield signs with LED lighting, installing new underground electrical infrastructure, and implementing drainage improvements.”
Before it was completely shut down on April 15, the runway was closed at night and on weekends to accommodate the construction schedule. To ensure that the runway is completely renovated by the end of the year, the Port Authority has announced that it would remain closed on weeknights and weekends until then.
However, the reopening on Monday will enable for “regular runway operations to resume,” according to the statement. During the planned closures of runway 4L-22R, the airport’s other runways will remain fully operational.
“As we approach the busy summer travel season, this key milestone puts us on a path to further reducing congestion, enhancing safety, and ensuring a seamless travel experience,” Duffy stated in the Port Authority’s press release. “With the runway completed, we’ll continue our work to harden the telecoms infrastructure and improving the staffing pipeline for the airspace.”
This spring, passengers traveling in and out of Newark saw delays and cancellations due to more than just planned runway construction.
Air traffic controllers at the airport have experienced a number of communications blackouts while directing planes in recent months due to equipment failures, prompting the FAA on May 20 to reduce the number of flights to and from Newark until the planned runway construction was completed.
“Our goal is to relieve the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public from excessive flight delays due to construction, staffing challenges, and recent equipment issues, which magnify as they spread through the National Airspace System,” acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said at the time of the announcement.