Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, Texas (May 30, 2024) – Just in time for the busy summer travel season, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has reopened Runway 17R/35L after being closed for nine months for scheduled renovations. The runway, one of seven at DFW, resumed operations on May 24 in a shortened configuration of 9,275 feet to allow for surface availability during the busy summer travel season.
“Our innovative approach of phased construction and partial reopening allowed crews to safely re-open one of our departure runways that is typically most heavily used by aircraft during peak travel seasons while simultaneously completing the remaining work,” said Mohammed Charkas, DFW executive vice president of Infrastructure and Development. “This project is another example of how DFW is leveraging innovative construction techniques to reduce costs and operational impacts while still providing great infrastructure for our partners and travelers.”
The runway's full reopening is scheduled for later this year. The renovation project includes a complete rebuild of the runway with a high-density asphalt overlay, new and improved drainage, electrical infrastructure and lighting, signage, and de-icing infrastructure. Coinciding with the runway's reopening is the opening of a new light room that provides power to the East Field. The previous 50-year-old light room was located near Terminal A and required a complete renovation; therefore, a strategic decision was made to rebuild the facility in a new location to allow for the planned terminal expansion.
Earlier this year, DFW was awarded a $45 million Airport Infrastructure Grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration to help fund the runway project.
This is the third runway to be completely renovated at DFW Airport in the past seven years and is part of the airport's ongoing capital improvement program, which will see the airport invest more than $9 billion in expansion and facility improvements over the next five years, including a complete reconstruction of Terminal C and construction of a new Terminal F.
Runway 17R/35L Rehabilitation Project, by the Numbers:
- The new runway area will be 2,680,000 square feet, the equivalent of 570 NBA basketball courts.
- 2,725 runway lights were replaced with energy-efficient LED lights.
- At 200 feet wide, it is the widest of DFW's seven runways.
