Two Million Yards Of Earth Removed... Only Two Million More To
Go!
"Airplanes flying farther." That's the capability officials at
Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) look forward to, as they celebrate the
halfway point of the extension of Runway 5/23, the airport's main
runway.
Community leaders, elected officials, business partners and
engineers broke ground Tuesday on the second half of the
construction project. Two million yards of earth have already been
moved, as part of the extension marking the halfway point. The
earthwork is necessary to build up the aircraft landing surface
allowing for the extension from 7,600 to 8,200 feet.
Officials say the added pavement will allow aircraft to depart
the airport at heavier fuel weights, allowing nonstop flights to
the west coast and international destinations like Mexico and the
Caribbean.
"This is an exciting milestone," said Rick McQueen, assistant
airport director. "Today we are celebrating significant progress
towards the completion of CAK 2018, our 10-year, $110 million
capital improvement plan. The 5/23 runway project is the
cornerstone of CAK 2018 and we are committed to it, to the core. It
is important not only to our airport authority but to our airline
partners, and our community as well."
"It's a pleasure to celebrate the halfway point in the 5/23
extension project with the airport and community leaders," said
Congressman Ralph Regula (R-Navarre, OH). "It has been a pleasure
to watch this place grow and thrive for the more than 30 years, and
I know that because of projects like this, our airport will be
serving this community well for decades to come."
The airport has invested $34 million to date on projects related
to the 5/23 extension. An additional $27 million is planned to
complete the job by 2010. Significantly, by moving fill from our
own property, the project cost was significantly reduced, saving
taxpayers $23 million.
Additionally, the work currently being done to move earth to
build the runway is one of the largest earthmoving projects in the
state of Ohio. Airport personnel note if you were to fill the
average truck with nine cubic yards of dirt, four million cubic
yards loaded in these trucks would be lined up bumper to bumper
from Cincinnati to Cleveland to Toledo and back to Cincinnati four
times. The trucks would equal a total of 2,188 miles.
Work to be done in the next half of the 5/23 extension project
includes paving the newly built runway surface and adjoining
taxiways, relocating and installing instrument landing system (ILS)
and upgrading the safety area at the north end of the runway.