"ONT to get $34 million runway upgrade"

Wednesday, February 12, 2003

One of airport's runways to get $34 million upgrade
By BRENDA GAZZAR
The San Bernardino (CA) Sun


ONTARIO - One of two runways at Ontario International Airport will receive a
$34 million upgrade slated for completion in 2005.

The airport's northernmost runway, which is made mostly of asphalt, will be
reconstructed with reinforced concrete. A portion of that runway dates to
1941, said airport spokesman Dennis Watson. 

The design is underway and should be complete by the end of the summer or
early winter, said Jens Rivera, airport manager. Construction may begin in
May, 2004, he said.

"It just makes the airport more convenient for operations, for the guys in
the tower to direct traffic in the airport, and to prepare for future
activity at the northwest part of the airport,' Watson said.

"The resurfacing and the new work that's being done will provide better
access to future air cargo development at (Ontario International).' 

The airport received about $25 million in grants from the Federal Aviation
Administration for the project. The remainder will come from passenger
facility charges collected by Los Angeles World Airports and approved by the
FAA, Rivera said.

The northernmost runway will have the same modern light equipment now used
by the other runway. This new equipment will allow planes to land there
during adverse weather conditions such as fog, Rivera said. 

Because the northernmost runway is made of asphalt, it is in constant need
of maintenance and repair, Rivera said. The airport's southernmost runway
was built and reinforced with concrete in 1981, Watson said. 

It hasn't needed repair since then, Rivera said. 

"Once you do that, reinforce it with concrete, that's a top of the line
runway,' Rivera said. "You don't have to maintain it much beyond that.'

The airport will use only one runway for about one year during the
reconstruction, Rivera said.

Jim Corey, an air traffic controller at Ontario International, said having
one runway instead of two during reconstruction could slow things down
considerably and may impact safety. 

"The more options we have (for landing and takeoff) the more safety we have
and the less delays,' he said. "If we're down from two to one runways, we
have less options available for us to use.'

During construction, planes at takeoff will be separated by five to 10 miles
rather than the usual three to five, he said.

"That will allows us additional time to get people out, eliminating delays
and eliminating safety issues,' Corey said.


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