On June 20,, Oakland International Airport (OAK) announces that it has received $37,406,854 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to rehabilitate the airport’s main runway.
The funds come by way of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which allocates federal funding to US airports. Runway 12-30 is OAK’s main commercial air carrier runway, and the Airport last completed a runway pavement overlay in 2001. The runway is currently due for a new overlay to provide a safe operating surface for aircraft and to maintain aviation safety standards.
As Runway 12-30 is typically in service 24 hours per day, staff has conducted a planning process with airlines, air carriers, the FAA, and other stakeholders to develop a preferred short-duration, full-closure option to minimize impacts to air carrier operations. A portion of the funding will be used to convert an existing taxiway into a temporary alternate runway, so that OAK’s flight operations are maintained during the Runway 12-30 rehabilitation activities.
“Oakland International is in the midst of strong economic growth, with more destinations than ever in our 90-year history,” said Bryant L. Francis, Port of Oakland director of aviation. "The upcoming rehabilitation of Runway 12-30 has been a collaborative effort with the FAA and is made possible by this significant grant award and the ongoing support of our congressional delegation. This critical project will ensure our primary air carrier runway remains functional and safe for all users.”
“As a Member of the transportation funding committee, I was proud to support funding for the Oakland International Airport to complete its runway improvement project and ensure the highest safety standards are met. The Oakland International Airport is a major travel center and economic engine for the entire Bay Area and this funding will help ensure it remains competitive with our nation’s world class airports,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
In the last six months, OAK has welcomed both British Airways and Level – IAG’s legacy and brand new low-cost carriers – and has announced or commenced new flights to Newark, Detroit, Baltimore, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos, Mexico; London, Copenhagen, Barcelona, and Rome.
The Airport has completed or is underway with several projects to ensure safety, security, and to enhance the customer experience at OAK, including:
- Opening of the award-winning Escape Lounge by MAG, OAK’s first all-access premium passenger lounge.
- Expansion of OAK’s International Arrivals Building (IAB), which will enable the Airport to simultaneously process passengers from two wide-body aircraft.
- Improvements to the areas surrounding its Terminal 1 security checkpoint.
Runway overlay construction at Oakland International is scheduled to take place this fall.
