News from King County Department of Transportation
Release date:  August 2, 2006

Boeing Field gears up for major runway work

King County International Airport, commonly known as Boeing Field, will undergo major runway improvements beginning August 8.

“This rehabilitation project will allow KCIA to preserve one of the greatest aviation assets in the region,” King County Executive Ron Sims said. “The main runway is one of the longest in the state and supports the movement of billions of dollars worth of manufactured aircraft, air cargo, general aviation, test flight operations and passenger service in the region each year. This project will also allow the airport to continue to safely and efficiently support the more than 500 aircraft and 150 businesses based at Boeing Field for years to come.”

The runway rehabilitation project will be immensely complicated. To minimize impact on aircraft operations, the project will be done in phases to keep full runway closures to a minimum. That means the runway will need to be paved in sections, with the bulk of the work completed by late August with follow-up work completed by late September. Despite the phased approach, a full closure of the runway will occur from August 13 through August 24 while the center portion of the runway is under construction. In all, the airport estimates it will take 116,000 tons of asphalt to completely rehabilitate the runway.

During the closures, tenants and other users of the airport’s main runway will rely on other airports in the region. However, Boeing Field’s short runway (R 13L/31R) will remain open to aircraft weighing 60,000 or less.

The main runway was last rehabilitated in 1985. In addition to years of normal wear and tear caused by more than 300,000 flight operations annually, the runway experienced significant damage during the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake. While immediate repairs were made following the quake, liquefaction of the sub-base soils continues to cause cracking, depressions and grade changes. If not addressed, these structural problems are expected to worsen.

The runway rehabilitation project is being funded in part by a $24.5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The total cost of the main runway rehabilitation is expected to cost $27 million.

During the project, Boeing Field will provide pilots and airport tenants with ongoing updates on the status of work and airfield flight restrictions. Pilots are also advised to monitor Notice to Airmen (NOTAMS) for the latest information on airport restrictions.