An aerial view shows the new runway (right) and the taxiway (left) that was transformed into a temporary runway during the project.
The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids reopened its primary runway September 23 after being closed for more than three months for runway reconstruction. It was the first time the runway had undergone a complete rehabilitation since the airport opened in the 1940s.
The multi-phase project began in 2006 and involved transforming a taxiway into a temporary runway, which allowed the airport to remain open during the entirety of the project. The reconstructed east/west runway is 8,600 feet long.
The project was the largest single season construction project in the airport's history, costing an estimated $22 million. The majority of the project's funding – 87% - is from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airport, a self-sustaining operation, will pay for the remainder of the project through airport-user fees.
The first flight to land on Runway 27 was a Fed Ex plane from Memphis. The first flight to land on Runway 9 was a UPS plane from Louisville. A Fed Ex flight to Des Moines was the first flight to depart from Runway 9 and United Express flight No. 7588 to Denver was the first commercial passenger flight to depart from Runway 9.
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The Eastern Iowa Airport.