Newark Liberty International Airport on June 2 reopened Runway 4L-22R, 13 days ahead of schedule, the airport announced. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey brought in extra crews to work around the clock to get the runway ready prior to its initial June 15 reopening date and to allow "regular runway operations to resume."
To fully complete the rehabilitation project by the end of 2025, the runway will continue to be closed on weeknights through the rest of the year, and on weekends September through December, according to Newark.
The runway closure, along with telecom outages since late April and air traffic controller staffing shortages, had contributed to significant delays at Newark and the need for the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce the number of flights operated per hour at the facility. In early May, United Airlines announced it would reduce its flights at its Newark hub by 35 flights per day due to the delays experienced at the airport.
"As we approach the busy summer travel season, this key milestone puts us on a path to further reducing congestion, enhancing safety, and ensuring a seamless travel experience," U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. "With the runway completed, we'll continue our work to harden the telecoms infrastructure and improving the staffing pipeline for the airspace."
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