Pictures: The cracks in Cork Airport's runway causing its 10-week closure

The airport is due to close this weekend for 10 weeks for a €40m project to revamp its runway
Pictures: The cracks in Cork Airport's runway causing its 10-week closure

Close ups of Cork Airport's main runway showing the cracks in its surface which show it is now at the end of its operational life.

Images of cracks in Cork Airport’s main runway have been released tonight ahead of the airport’s 10-week closure for a multi-million runway rebuild project.

The images show weeds growing through some of the cracks and patch repairs on parts of the surface of its only jet-capable runway - a surface which has been in place since 1999.

The images feature in an online video released by airport management this morning in which they explain the need for the massive capital investment project which requires the full closure of the airport to all fixed-wing aircraft operations from midnight on Sunday.

Construction workers with Colas, a firm with extensive airport construction experience with similar runway reconstruction projects completed across the world, have been on-site at the airport for a number of weeks to conduct preparatory work.

Weeds growing through some of the cracks on Cork Airport's main runway.
Weeds growing through some of the cracks on Cork Airport's main runway.

They are expected to begin the runway work itself at 2am on Monday, as the mammoth task of digging up the existing runway, and rebuilding a new one with upgraded lighting and navigational aids gets underway.

The runway upgrade works will not affect the operation of search and rescue, garda helicopter, or air ambulance helicopter operations. The airport is due to reopen on November 22 in time for what is hoped will be a busy Christmas period. 

Cork Airport managing director, Niall MacCarthy, said the main runway is now at the end of its operational life.

He said the rebuild, a critical element of an overall €40m investment in the airport’s infrastructure over the next two years, represents the largest single investment in the airport since the new terminal, multi-storey car park and internal roadways were built in 2006.

“The rebuilding of the runway will extend the life of the airport’s infrastructure for another 20 years,” he said.

Aer Lingus base captain at Cork, Captain Séamus Cooke, described the main runway as a fundamental piece of infrastructure for southern Ireland.

“As well as rebuilding the runway, the project will also future-proof the instrument landing systems and will upgrade the lighting systems from halogen to a more sustainable LED system,” he said.

But Pat Dawson, CEO of the Irish Travel Agents Association, criticised the timing of the work just as the aviation industry begins its post-Covid recovery.

"We are taking it at face value from airport management that the work couldn't be helped but we are of the view that it should have been done during the summer, when there were virtually no flights," he said.

Airport management say the work, which was initially scheduled to take place next year, was brought forward and fast-tracked through an accelerated tendering process to get builders on site as soon as was possible.

The upgrade work will involve:

  • a structural reconstruction of the main runway, 
  • an upgrading of aircraft ground lighting to energy efficient LEDs, 
  • the installation of runway edge and centreline lighting, 
  • the replacement of secondary cabling and transformers, 
  • the construction of a new electrical pit and duct system, 
  • upgrading of primary electrical circuits in place since the 1980s, 
  • and the construction of a new electricity substation to provide back-up for the current substation.

They said doing the work during a short, sharp 10-week closure will discommode fewer passengers over the next 10 weeks than it would if it was done as was initially planned over a much longer period next year.

The main runway at Cork Airport has been in operation since 1961. It was built originally at 1,883m in length and was extended by 300m in 1989.

The overlay project in 1999 was completed on the original runway element only, which means the pavement on the original runway is now 21 years old and the extension is 31 years old.

Read More

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