- May 18, 2024
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A major electrical upgrade project designed to improve the safety and sustainability of the primary runway at Daytona Beach International Airport will begin May 6 and is expected to last 30 days.
The project involves replacing existing incandescent lights with LED lights. In addition to the safety benefits of brighter lighting, LED bulbs use between 75% and 90% less energy and have a longer life expectancy than incandescent or quartz lights. The project will also replace 82,000 feet of wiring that provides power to the edge lights.
“The runway edge lighting project has a relatively short construction period but will have long-lasting positive impacts for airport safety,” Airport Director Karen Feaster said.
During the project, the main runway, 7L/25R, will be shut down; runway 16/34 will be available during the closure. Neighbors of the airport may notice a change in flight patterns and an increase in north-south flight traffic during the closure. For two weeks of the project, night work will close both runways from midnight to 5 a.m. During this time, the airport will complete other necessary maintenance to the runway, including markings, pressure washing, painting, mowing and torque testing.
“The new state-of-the-art system will be cabled in conduit and receive new electrical regulators and LEDs for runway edges, threshold lights, and signs," Feaster said. "This upgrade will vastly enhance airfield safety and reliability while concurrently reducing the required labor hours to maintain the current system."
The closure will have minimal impacts on commercial airline operations and will affect flight patterns. Neighbors of the airport may notice a change in flight patterns and an increase in north-south flight traffic during the closure.
The FAA is funding 90% of the project, with the airport and Florida Department of Transportation splitting the remaining 10%.
