If you plan on traveling to or from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, note that Runway 13L-31R — which is located on the south side of the airport — is currently closed through sometime in November of 2019 due to a reconstruction project which includes expanding the runway and widening it by 33 percent.
Travel Alert: Runway Closed in New York Until November of 2019 at John F. Kennedy International Airport
“The project will also allow the installation of new lights, signs, cables and navigational aids. Once completed, it will meet new safety standards and will incorporate the latest landing technology”, according to this official announcement from The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. “The rehabilitation will also provide aircraft a solid concrete runway that is more resilient than asphalt and will increase the useful life of the runway by four times. In addition, the creation of new high-speed taxiways will enable aircraft to exit the runway more quickly allow the runway handle more aircraft per hour at peak periods.”
This reconstruction project began on Monday, April 1, 2019. “The reconstruction is projected to create 3,340 total job years, $251.8 million in payroll wages and $608.6 million in economic activity”, according to the aforementioned announcement. “The decision to use concrete as opposed to asphalt for the runway project will reduce the number of construction days and extend its useful life to 40 years, instead of the typical asphalt lifespan of eight to 12 years.”
Summary
That passengers who travel to or from New York have a choice of at least five other different airports is good news. The bad news is that these same passengers may encounter delays which could interrupt their travels — as well as possible traffic to access other airports within the region.
Photograph ©2007 by Brian Cohen.
