After the Federal Aviation Administration authorized a $121 million repair project, an old runway at the troubled New Jersey airport will reopen almost two weeks ahead of schedule.
The Port Authority of New York/New Jersey said in a news release on Friday that runway 4L-22R closed on April 15 after the FAA determined it was hazardous, leaving just two runways available at the crowded Newark Liberty International Airport.
Monday marks the start of routine operations on the rebuilt runway, which is scheduled to reopen on June 15.
“As other issues have arisen related to Newark Liberty’s capacity, the Port Authority took on the challenge to speed up the construction,” the agency’s Executive Director Rick Cotton stated.
“We are pleased to be able to return the runway nearly two weeks ahead of schedule without compromising safety and quality,” he stated. “We continue to do all that we can to support USDOT and the FAA as they advance critically needed investments to remedy decades of underinvestment. …”
Although runway repairs at airports are normally performed every ten years, 4L-22R has not been updated for eleven years.
It was only one of several problems that have made it difficult to operate the airport.
A nightmare for travelers in the New York metro area, the FAA was obliged to halt flights to the transportation hub due to a lack of air traffic controllers, technological and communication issues, and the runway accident.
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Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, the main airline in Newark, stated earlier this week that the firm has suffered financially as a result of the accidents due to a decline in passenger reservations.
“People should book with confidence,” he stated. “Now’s the time to buy.”
Sean Duffy, the secretary of transportation for the United States, stated that additional work has to be done.
“With the runway completed, we’ll continue our work to harden the telecoms infrastructure and improving the staffing pipeline for the airspace,” he stated on Friday.
