Runway 5R/23L Rehabilitation Project Update (5/22/2023)
This week, Runway 5R/23L will be closed for most of the week to complete some work on last year’s runway rehabilitation project. This work was postponed last winter until the weather improved and the work could be completed as quickly as possible. By waiting for better weather, we were able to shorten the duration of the runway closure.
We appreciate your patience, as always, as we complete this work.
2023 Runway Closure Update
The Authority had expected the work to be completed before now, but there have been unexpected delays, including delays caused by the recent adverse weather. The final work should only take a short time to complete, and will be done as soon as weather permits. While there may be temporary closures of very short duration after that time, Runway 5R/23L will then be re-opened.
The FAA is also working to put new instrument approach equipment into operation on Runway 5R/23L. We expect the FAA work to be completed in the near future. If the new instrument equipment is not in operation at the time of the runway re-opening, aircraft that need to make instrument approaches will be diverted to the parallel runway, including some aircraft conducting touch and go operations. After the runway re-opening, aircraft should be able to make visual approached and depart from the Airport on Runway 5R/23L regardless of whether the FAA has completed its work.
We have been working very closely with the Authority’s contractor, and with the FAA, to bring this project to completion and to restore normal traffic at the Airport. In the meantime, we appreciate the public’s patience with this process.
What work is being completed in 2022?
Runway 5R / 23L is undergoing another phase of rehabilitation in 2022. The work is a continuation of previous years’ projects on different segments of the runway. The 2022 project includes rehabilitation of a portion of the runway’s pavement as well as selected connecting taxiways, renovation of the airfield lighting system and some navigational aids, and work on airfield drainage structures. Approximately 900 feet of the runway and three connecting taxiways will be renovated.
Where is Runway 5R / 23L?
Runway 5R / 23L is one of the Airport’s three runways. It is the runway closest to the Airport Terminal Building and runs in a southwest / northeast direction. Click here for a diagram of the Airport runways.
Which runways will be closed and for how long?
- Runway 5R / 23L will be closed during two phases of the project as follows:
- At the beginning of the project, with the closure anticipated to begin on April 11 and to continue for approximately one month.
- At the end of the project, with the closure anticipated to begin in October and to continue through late November.
- Between these two closures, Runway 5R / 23L will be opened at a reduced length to provide a safety buffer for the pavement work to occur.
- Runway 14 / 32 will be closed for the duration of the project, with the closure anticipated to begin on April 11 and to continue through late November. Runway 14 / 32 intersects with Runway 5R / 23L within the area of work, necessitating its closure for the duration of the project.
Projected schedules for the closures are subject to change dependent on weather and other construction contingencies. Periodic project updates will be posted on our noise webpage.
How will air traffic be affected?
During the closure periods, aircraft that would normally use Runway 5R / 23L will have to be shifted to the parallel runway (5L / 23R). This shift will result in a significant but temporary increase in the flights on that runway.
Between the closure periods, 5R / 23L will be open and available at a reduced length of 8,100 feet (its full length is 10,001 feet). While Runway 5L / 23R will be open for use during this period, there may be more traffic than usual on Runway 5L/ 23R. As always, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers, air carriers, and individual pilots will remain responsible for determining runway assignments and the direction of aircraft arrivals and departures.
In what directions will aircraft land and take off during the closure period?
Consistent with the Airport’s nighttime noise mitigation policy, late night and early morning flights (including most, but not all, FedEx hub operations) will generally arrive and depart over areas southwest of the Airport. However, several factors may alter this preferred pattern, such as wind speed and direction, other weather conditions, and pilot choice. Therefore, there will be some nights that break from the preferred pattern in one direction or the other and either arrivals or departures will be over the area northeast of the Airport.
The direction of daytime operations will largely be determined by wind speed and direction with more operations expected over the northeast area of the Airport.
Who makes the decisions about runway use and flight procedures?
FAA air traffic controllers, and individual pilots, and air carriers make the decisions about which runways aircraft use and aircraft flight procedures – not the Airport Authority. This is always the case and will be true for the duration of the project. See Frequently Asked Questions about Airport Noise for more information.
Will the renovation work be completed this year?
Following this year’s work, rehabilitation of Runway 5R / 23L’s pavement will be complete. However, taxiways which connect to the runway will require pavement rehabilitation in the coming years. The taxiway work has not been scheduled at this time.
Why is the work being done over multiple years rather than all at once?
The multi-year phasing of the work matches the FAA funding for the runway rehabilitation. The phasing has also enabled the Authority to time the construction so all the work is done in the summer months, when the weather is best and the work can be completed more quickly, and to avoid a continued shutdown during the winter, when less work can be performed.
Why is the Authority doing this work?
The work is required by FAA regulations to maintain the runway in a safe and efficient operating condition.
What steps has the Authority taken to control noise during the runway project?
As explained in the Frequently Asked Questions About Airport Noise, the Authority does not make decisions about which runways aircraft use, their flight schedules, or aircraft flight paths. These decisions are made by FAA air traffic controllers, the air carriers, and the individual pilots. For this reason, the Authority’s ability to control aircraft noise is limited. However, the Authority has imposed an aggressive schedule on its contractor to complete the rehabilitation project as quickly as possible and thereby shorten the closure period. Also, as explained above, the Authority has arranged for Runway 5R / 23L to be re-opened at a reduced length between the two closure periods.
Other steps that the Authority has taken to reduce aircraft noise exposure are discussed in Frequently Asked Questions About Airport Noise.
How can I stay updated on the status of this project?
We will post updates on our noise webpage. We will post updates on our social media outlets:
- Facebook: @FlyfromPTI
- Twitter: FlyfromPTI
If you would like to join the Runway Closure email list, you can email Stephen Rich at RichS@gsoair.org.