The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is getting ready to completely shut down runway 13R-31L at Kennedy Airport for reconstruction. This is Kennedy’s longest runway and is one of the primary runways for heavy international aircraft departing overseas. The airport, already known for it’s delays, is likely to be even more congested during peak times as the closure reduces the amount of aircraft operations.

Related Video: New York Airspace Redesign

Kennedy Airport and it’s famous air traffic controllers (hear them at LiveATC.net) are able to do their best work when the weather is good and two parallel runways are in operation. Removing a runway from use has a trickle-down effect on delays at the airport and across the country as the FAA has to increasing distance between planes going to JFK to allow for spacing on the approach to the airport. The closure will also impact international departures as this runway is the longest runway at JFK and aircraft performance dictates the amount of runway required for takeoff.

The 120 day $300 million project consists of a complete reconstruction of runway 13R-31L. The asphalt pavement is nearing the end of it’s surface life and the work will also include safety improvements and planning for future navigation systems.

A specific list if improvements include:

• Repaving the existing asphalt runway with concrete
• Increasing the width of the runway from 150 feet to 200 feet to meet ICAO Group VI standards
• New runway lighting
• Increasing the width of taxiways and modifying taxiways KC, KK, KD, PF, PE, K
• Adding new taxiways PD, JA, JB and Z

The project is slated to take four months and is scheduled to begin this week and lead into the busy summer months. No one knows what impact the work will have on delays and Delta, JetBlue and American have cut back their schedules in anticipation of the work.

All that remains to be seen now is just how bad the delays will become.

[via PANYNJ]

For more info see the Port Authority Webpage for JFK.