U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta helped break ground recently for a $791 million runway expansion at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
“This is one of the largest and most important airport construction projects in the country right now,” said LaHood. “Modernizing our airport infrastructure will keep our economy moving forward, and put thousands of Americans back to work.”
When construction activity peaks next year, the project will contribute more than $1 million per day to the local economy, according to Broward County officials. It will generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs by the time the runway opens in fall 2014.
The project will extend, shift and lengthen Runway 9R/27L from 5,276 feet to 8,000 feet, giving the airport two parallel runways that can accommodate air carrier flights. Parallel runways can increase airport capacity dramatically, and this expansion will increase the airport’s capacity from 84 flights per hour to 107, FAA officials noted. Without the runway expansion, delays could reach more than 10 minutes per flight.
The FAA has issued a Letter of Intent to provide $250 million in Airport Improvement Program funding over 12 years for the project.
For more information: FAA.gov
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