Officials at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport say the two-year effort to upgrade pavement on runways is being designed so it won’t be a pain in the asphalt to travelers.
The project will be conducted largely during the overnight hours, said Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority president/CEO Jack Potter, although in a subsequent press statement, the authority acknowledged that hiccups are possible.
“There is a risk that late-night or early-morning flights to Reagan National could be canceled or diverted if they are delayed at their originating airport or en route,” airport officials said. “On-time flights are not expected to be affected.”
Work will be conducted on the airport’s main runway (designated 1-19) and a secondary runway (15-33), as well as the intersection of 1-19 and the airport’s third runway (4-22).
(The naming designates a runway’s positions on the compass with the third digit eliminated, leading to numbering from 1 to 36.)
Construction work will include replacing up to 8 inches of base asphalt material on a portion of the runway and replacing runway lighting with more energy-efficient systems.
The project is part of regular maintenance to keep Reagan National in operating condition, said Paul Malandrino, the airport manager.
“Our team at Reagan National has been working to minimize impacts and get the job done without unnecessary inconvenience to travelers,” he said.
Nearly 200,000 tons of asphalt will be part of the project, authority officials say.
