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A $ 26 million project to replace the Auckland airport runway will begin in two weeks and create 150 jobs.
The works were advanced after the coronavirus outbreak and the resulting reduction in flights created an opening.
Earlier this year, the airport runway had to be closed for emergency maintenance, causing flight delays.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images
Auckland airport submitted a $ 26 million project to replace the runway pavement after the coronavirus pandemic created an opening.
Auckland airport spokesman André Lovatt said the aircraft movements were currently 90-95 percent lower than a normal busy day, allowing time to get the job done.
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“This project has been planned for some time, but it was clear that we had the opportunity to bring the construction forward to the earliest available time while the movement of the track is at its lowest point,” he said.
“As an industry, we face enormous pressure and appreciate how these stakeholders have prioritized the collaboration necessary to produce a safe and viable solution earlier than originally planned.”
Construction of the project will take place over the next three months and will involve the removal and replacement of 280 paving slabs at the east end of the airport.
The project will see 12,000 tons of concrete placed 500mm thick to create the heavy industrial-grade pavement necessary to resist the landings of some of the world’s heaviest and largest aircraft, taking off at weights of up to 500 tons.
The planes will continue to use the existing runway, which will be shortened by 1.1 km during the eight to 10 week construction period.
Lovatt said replacing the runway pavement was a normal part of maintaining aerodrome safe operations and that airports around the world performed regularly.
“Our track, which was originally built in 1965, has been developed and renovated over the years as part of a work program that follows recognized standards and is supervised by independent experts.”
The replacement of the runway pavement is a critical component of Auckland Airport’s $ 1.2 billion infrastructure development program, which is a series of projects designed to cater for growth in passenger numbers, which will double by 2044.
Lovatt said much of the program had been suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Without the certainty of when the aviation market will recover, it is not realistic to continue to move forward on these projects at this time.”
