Thanks to federal grant funds, Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport will rebuild and install new technology on one of its runways. DFW Airport has received two grants, totaling over $52 million, for airfield improvement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
According to a news release, $49.5 million of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants will be used for the refurbishment of Runway 17-Center/35-Center and associated taxiway improvements. The remaining $2.6 million will help fund a lighting upgrade for the terminal ramp areas.
“Next year, we plan to rehabilitate the runway used for more arrivals than any other at DFW, and this grant from the FAA will go a long way toward funding that critical infrastructure need,” said Sean Donohue, chief executive officer at DFW Airport, in the release.
The rehabilitation project is scheduled for mid-2018. The runway will be closed for about four months, but DFW’s six additional runways will allow an unaffected flight schedule. According to the release, customers should not see significant air traffic delays due to the closure.
“To remain competitive in an increasingly globalized economy, we need to make sure that our major airports such as DFW have the full backing of its federal partners and stakeholder groups,” said U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, (D) Texas 30th District, in the release.
The rehabilitation project for Runway 17C/35C features the installation of an updated pavement sensor system for measuring weather impacts.
“DFW Airport should be considered as the nation’s premier transportation hub and it will only improve with these projects,” said U.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant, (R) Texas 24th District, in the release.
The rehabilitation consists of replacement of the center third of the runway, which is about 6000 feet long, 50 feet wide, and more than 3 feet deep. Then, the entire runway will be resurfaced with a composite section of Portland Cement concrete and polymer-modified high-performance asphalt, designed for strength, flexibility and weather resistance.