Tallahassee Airport to Begin Construction of Runway Projects

PRESS RELEASE -- Next week, the Tallahassee Regional Airport will begin a massive $43 million construction project to enhance the safety and operational capacity of its runways. The project is expected to create or maintain 160 construction jobs as both runways, north-south runway 18-36 and east-west runway 9-27, will be reconstructed. The project will be done in two phases to ensure continuous commercial and general aviation operation.
The first phase, which will begin on January 20, will include the lengthening of runway 18-36 from 6,070 feet to 7,000 feet requiring the runway to be closed for a period of 10 -- 11 months. Additional construction will include pavement rehabilitation and relocation of ground based navigation systems. Lengthening of runway 18-36 must first take place to accommodate the current and anticipated fleet of airplanes while the airport's primary runway 9-27 is closed for 15 months for reconstruction to meet new design standards.

"While this is a needed project to comply with certification standards, its implementation has been carefully phased to maintain our level of service and when completed will result in the most operationally efficient airfield system for our customers," said director of Aviation, Sunil Harman.

Due to the extreme variability in weather during this time of year consisting of low temperatures and morning fog, construction crews will perform operationally critical work in the runways safety areas during a weekend closure period of 11 p.m. on Friday, January 20, to 6 a.m. on Monday, January 23. During this time, flights could potentially be delayed or diverted to other airports should some unanticipated weather or condition resulting from construction occurs.

The second phase of construction, which will begin in late 2012, will include the total reconstruction of runway 19-27 to correct design deficiencies in the runway's longitudinal profile which obstruct line-of-sight.

"The runway lengthening and restoration project is another step to attracting more flights and destinations," said City Commissioner Gil Ziffer, lead commissioner on airport issues. "As we ask the airlines to invest in our airport with more flights we need to show them were investing in our airport as well."

This project is mandated and primarily funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at 95 percent with the remaining 5 percent funded by Florida Department of Transportation and the Airport's capital funds.