The Thunder Bay International Airport is down to one runway as crews begin work to upgrade almost every facet of the main runway and supporting infrastructure. The $20 million project is being jointly funded by Transport Canada and the airport, and is the first of the airport's major capital projects that is eligible for federal funding.
Thunder Bay Newswatch reports that Ryan Brading, manager of Airport Services, stated that the runway will reopen to full length for a total of seven days during construction to accommodate special charter flights, like for the Viking cruise line coming to Thunder Bay this summer, but they do have a timeline to follow toward reopening.
"We only have one runway, 1230, its a non-instrumental level of service runway, meaning in really foggy or low cloud covering days, we may actually not be able to have aircrafts land on that runway. Construction started on May 6. The asphalt is being milled and paved 150-millimetre depth and we are reducing the width of the runway. The big benefit is that we will be upgrading the level of service, the standard to the new addition, so we will be fully compliant with the fifth edition of the TP312 standard. The plan is to reopen the runway with all the new infrastructure on September 25. Notwithstanding any delays we may see due to weather or unforeseeable things over construction, we are hoping to reopen before October."
Manager of Airport Services | Ryan Brading
The airport will also be installing a recess which is a runway end safety area that consists of a 150-meter-long built-up pad that is able to support an aircraft in case of an excursion, which is a new requirement imposed by Transport Canada and will close runway 12 again in October.
Other work will include:
- Full runway edge lighting replacement
- Airfield signage
- The replacement of cables under the runway
- The replacement of conduit under the runway
- A new sub-drain system
Government of Canada states that investments in our airports continue to be crucial to maintain safety, security and connectivity for travellers, workers, and communities. They also help ensure Canada's airports are well-positioned to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
The Thunder Bay International Airport is also receiving $395,000 from Transport Canada's Airports Capital Assistance Program for the purchase of a snowplow truck and a runway ice sweeper.
Looking for other Infrastructure Projects in Ontario?
The Airports Capital Assistance Program has been funding improvement projects for regional airports since 1995. To date, the Government has invested more than $1.12 billion for 1,088 projects at 199 airports.
According to Marcus Powlowski, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay International Airport is a key transportation hub not just for Thunder Bay, but for much of northern Ontario. Besides connecting us with family and friends, it helps us discover new destinations and is a pivotal trade corridor for many Thunder Bay businesses.
