Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - Construction and maintenance for Buffalo Niagara International Airport's main runway, Runway 5-23, is currently underway.
The 8,829-foot long stretch will be getting a new layer of asphalt and other significant safety improvements. "We're installing new lights to aid in guiding the aircraft, and also improving the drainage and the pavement surface throughout," says Rick Hines, a lead engineer hired by the NFTA to complete the project.
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Buffalo's most used runway will be closed and expected to open at the end of summer, early September, creating alternative flight patterns for aircrafts using the other runway. The crew commenced the main rehabilitation work in the middle of May.
The project has said to be long overdue, major work on Runway 5-23 hasn't been done on Runway 5-23 since 1978. The runway's last re-pavement was 2004. Hines says the asphalt work being done now, should last the airport another 20+ years of use.
The main priority for everyone involved in the project is safety whilst the airport is still operational.
"We construct it where we're doing in pieces. That way we can still keep aircraft operational. During construction, safety is the primary concern, making we have the barricades off of the active runway, that way we don't have any construction activity or anything up in that area. We keep everybody safe at all times," said Hines.
While most of the work is being done in the daytime with a crew of about 60 local workers, some work is being done at night. In particular, the runway intersections, where flight operations are minimal to none. Last weekend, the crew completed work on one intersection with a crew of about 100.
Only half of the runway will be completed by the Summer's end. The other half of the work will commence in 2025. The total price tag for this project is said to be $36 million.