Newark Liberty International Airport’s Runway 4L-22R is reopening on Monday, 2 June, following an accelerated rehabilitation programme.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirmed the reopening, which comes 13 days earlier than originally planned.
The runway, one of the airport’s three, has been closed since April as part of a 121 million USD construction project to upgrade its surface and supporting infrastructure. Initially scheduled to be completed by 15 June, the early reopening was made possible by expanded construction shifts and the use of additional crews. Work was carried out continuously to meet the revised timeline.
The rehabilitation includes milling and repaving of the 11,000-foot-long runway, new underground electrical infrastructure, improved drainage, updated lighting systems, and upgraded signage using LED technology. These works are designed to align the runway with current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety and design standards.
Runway 4L-22R was last resurfaced in 2014. The repaving cycle for runways typically spans around a decade, and recent inspections indicated the surface was due for renewal.
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said:Completing this major portion of the runway rehabilitation 13 days ahead of schedule is a testament to the extraordinary commitment and around-the-clock efforts of construction crews and our airport staff. The Port Authority has invested billions to modernize Newark Liberty and we appreciate the FAA’s commitment to recruiting and training new air traffic controllers and overhauling the technology that underpins our aviation industry.
The Port Authority noted that the acceleration of the project was a direct response to operational challenges the FAA has faced in recent months, including staffing shortages that have affected the management of air traffic at Newark. To help mitigate these impacts, construction efforts were increased, and an additional asphalt plant was activated to boost paving capacity.
Thanks to this early completion, the number of permitted take-offs and landings at EWR may increase from 28 per hour to 34 per hour. This will remain reduced from the standard average of 54 per hour until additional air traffic control staff have been trained.
U.S Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said:Thank you to the Port Authority for their partnership and hard work in getting Newark’s runway rebuilt ahead of schedule. Great job! 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. With the runway completed, we’ll continue our work to harden the telecoms infrastructure and improving the staffing pipeline for the airspace.
Although the main phase of work is now complete, limited night-time and weekend closures will continue through December to allow for final works. During this period, the airport’s other two runways—4R-22L and 11-29—will remain in operation, subject to weather conditions.
The runway upgrade forms part of a broader investment in Newark Liberty, including improvements to taxiways and terminals. These include the redevelopment of Terminal B and ongoing work to replace the AirTrain system.
