MacArthur Airport lands $8.4M for runway project

Long Island MacArthur Airport will receive $8.4 million for its project to rehab one of its main runways and taxiways.

The money, from the federal government, will be used to resurface Runway 15R/33L. The 5,186-foot long and 150-foot-wide runway was last resurfaced in 1996 and has high levels of cracking and weathering.

In addition, the project includes new pavement and replacement of guidance signage for Taxiway Sierra, which is about 4,800 feet long and 75 feet wide and is one of the most heavily used taxiways on the airfield.

The project will be paid for with federal funds, 90 percent of which comes from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program and 10 percent from COVID relief funds.

“As MacArthur Airport rebounds and rebuilds post pandemic, our eye is on the future,” MacArthur Airport Commissioner Shelley LaRose-Arken said in a written statement. “The existing pavement for Runway 15R/33L is nearly 25 years old and showing signs of age-related distress, and this runway improvement is significant for us. Additionally, the existing guidance signs are in need of replacement, and new energy efficient LED signs and panels will provide consistency on the airfield.”