Runway construction will impact MSP Airport flight patterns
Runway construction will impact MSP Airport flight patterns
May 30, 2024
Airport’s north parallel and crosswind runways will close June 3 for upgrades
Upcoming runway and taxiway construction projects at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) will impact aircraft flight patterns for the next several months.
MSP’s north parallel runway, 12L-30R, and the airport’s crosswind runway, 4-22, will be closed from June 3 through late September. The primary project is the full concrete reconstruction of the intersection of the two runways. Additional projects include reconstructing several connecting taxiways, regrading the runway safety areas along Runway 12L-30R, and installing new pavement markings, LED lighting and LED signage — all designed to maintain runway safety and improve operational efficiencies on the airfield.
“We’ve combined a number of important maintenance projects to complete between now and early fall on those two runways to reduce overall disruptions for operations and flight activity in the future,” said Roy Fuhrmann, COO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates MSP. “During the construction, nearby residents may notice temporary changes to flight patterns and aircraft activity on flights to and from MSP.”
With the temporary closure of the two runways, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers will assign flights to MSP’s other runways. This will change takeoff and landing patterns for the next four months. FAA air traffic controllers determine flight paths and runway usage based on factors such as wind direction, air traffic demand and operational efficiency.
When runways are reopened this fall, the FAA will return MSP to its pre-construction operational patterns. The MAC is scheduling similar runway maintenance work on the south parallel (Runway 12R-30L) in the spring and fall months of 2025.
Residents who have any questions or concerns regarding airfield operations, aircraft noise or runway closures due to construction can contact the MAC Community Relations Office at 612-726-9411. Additional project information is posted online at MSPAirport.com.