Imagine dealing with fewer delays on the tarmac at JFK.
It may be a reality soon, as Governor David Paterson kicked off a $376.3 million reconstruction project of the Bay Runway (Runway 13-31) on Tuesday, July 28.
The runway will undergo significant rehabilitation to reduce delays and improve airport operations.
The project, which will close the runway for 120 days in 2010, is part of the second phase of the JFK Delay Reduction Program. The project is expected to reduce flight delays overall by an estimated 10,500 hours per year, and will widen the runway from 150 to 200 feet and will include a new drainage system, new electrical infrastructure, the addition of delay reduction taxiways and accommodations for future navigational aids.
The accommodations to taxiways – including high-speed exits for landing aircraft and holding pads where departing aircraft can literally pull off – will enable planes to bypass those held on the tarmac so that others may proceed.
The rehab will support 1,000 direct and 1,500 ancillary jobs, including direct construction work, asphalt and concrete production, running of aeronautical lighting and food services.
“If Kennedy Airport is to remain a portal to and from this city and our country, we must continue to invest in it through necessary infrastructure upgrades,” said Paterson. “The runway expansion, addition of taxiways and other improvements will save passengers time, reduce delays and costs associated with congestion and provide considerable economic development to this region.”
The project is funded through two sources – the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey will provide $292.4 million, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will provide $83.9 million. Of the FAA’s funds, $53 million will be used for work associated with the Delay Reduction Program and the remaining $15 million is allocated through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
“We are capitalizing on a required job and the end result will be a better experience for all who pass through JFK Airport,” said Port Authority Chairman Anthony R. Coscia. “Tougher materials, smarter configurations and outstanding teamwork will make this undertaking a huge success.”
Major carriers will adjust schedules and operations to mitigate delays, and the airport’s three remaining runways will be utilized to their full capabilities during the Bay Runway’s closure.
