Raleigh-Durham International Airport will spend more than $500 million to replace its main runway, it announced on Tuesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration has authorized the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority to seek final permits and begin construction on the replacement.
The existing 10,000-foot runway was built in the 1980s. The replacement runway, with an extra 639 feet, will be built approximately 537 feet west of the current location to allow the current runway to remain in operation during construction.
“RDU’s new primary runway will be the most important two miles of pavement in the Triangle,” says Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, in a statement. “It will provide greater economic opportunities for our region by ensuring RDU maintains its transatlantic connections and allowing long-haul aircraft to move more passengers and cargo.”
The FAA previously determined the runway can be built at 10,639 feet, providing more distance for takeoff and landing.
The runway replacement is expected to be completed by 2028 and will also allow for the future addition of more gates at Terminal 2.