A pavement rehabilitation project on Philadelphia International Airport’s (PHL) primary runway, Runway 9R-27L, kicked off in mid-September. The project will focus exclusively on the original stretch of runway last rehabilitated in 2010 (excluding the additional 1,500-ft extension added in 2016) and includes resurfacing and renovating the runway's asphalt pavement and base materials. The project’s construction cost is over $23 million, out of which more than $16.3 million is supported by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvements Program (AIP) grant that was awarded in August 2024.
Runway 9R-27L is PHL's most used runway for takeoffs and landings. At 12,000-foot long-by-200-foot wide, with 25-foot shoulders, it is also the airport's longest and most technically advanced runway, efficiently accommodating long-haul flights and ensuring safety and reliability in adverse weather conditions.
Due to the critical importance of Runway 9R-27L for airport operations, the rehabilitation will be conducted exclusively overnight to maintain continuous functionality while minimizing the impact on passengers and airport operations "Reconstructing the active runway will be like replacing the dance floor while the party continues on top of it,” said Department of Aviation, Capital Development Group Airport Engineering Assistant Manager Lee Sutanto. This night schedule requires extensive coordination among the Department of Aviation’s operations team, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tower, airlines, and project team.
Nightly construction efforts will continue until December 2024, and, after a winter construction shutdown, the project will resume in late spring 2025 and continue until the end of August 2025.
In preparation for the project, the design and construction management team visited Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) as it is undergoing a similar resurfacing project along its two primary runways. This trip provided valuable insight into procedures that the management team will implement into PHL's project.
Project Manager Jason Williams (AECOM) said, "I am excited to tackle another challenging airfield project with the same team that successfully completed the Taxiway K Reconstruction Program, including our Construction Management Team from TYLin led by Kevin Murphy, our contractor, Haines & Kibblehouse, Inc. [Prime], and electrical sub-contractor Carr & Duff. We look forward to applying our experience and knowledge from DCA to completing this project as efficiently as possible to maintain consistent flight operations at PHL."
