The $83.8 million overhaul of BWI’s longest runway was completed two days ahead of schedule, with federal funding covering most of the cost.
Southwest Airlines planes on the tarmac at Baltimore Washington International Airport in Baltimore, Maryland. Photo: Getty Images
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Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) has fully rehabilitated a major runway after a major upgrade.
On Thursday, BWI announced that the reconstruction of Runway 10-28, one of its two commercial runways and the longest at the airport, was complete. The project was finished this week after months of construction, which also included nighttime closures of the airport’s other major runway while the intersection of the two was paved.
“The completion of this project showcases the Moore-Miller administration’s commitment to maintaining world-class transportation infrastructure to fuel Maryland’s economic growth,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Katie Thomson in the announcement.
Thomson continued, “This project was a significant investment in the operation of BWI Marshall Airport that will benefit our passengers, airlines and the future of our region’s premier airport.”
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The first plane to touch down on the newly reopened runway was Southwest Airlines flight 716 from West Palm Beach, Florida, which arrived at 2:24 p.m.
In a previous announcement, BWI said the runway would close from July 22 to Oct. 17, and the renovations would include the “milling and overlay of existing runway asphalt pavement of the full length of Runway 10-28, plus the intersection with Runway 15R-33L.”
It also noted that the construction “will enable selective grade correction to improve drainage along Runway 10-28 and include the installation of new LED in-pavement lighting.”
The major renovation project was funded by the FAA’s Infrastructure Grant program, which set aside $62.4 million for the Baltimore airport, and the Maryland Transportation Trust Fund, which jointly provided funding for the $83.8 million construction project.