Naples Airport Launches Elevated Airfield Lighting Project

Naples Airport has launched a $25.4 million airfield resiliency project that will elevate runway and taxiway lighting systems to better protect operations during flooding events and storm surge.

Airport officials said the project will make Naples Airport the first coastal airport in the South to implement elevated runway and taxiway lighting as part of a storm resiliency strategy.

The Airfield Lighting Rehabilitation and Electrical Vault Replacement Project includes installation of 1,080 elevated LED edge lights positioned 20 inches above ground level to reduce vulnerability to flooding.

The project also includes reconstruction of the airport’s electrical vault using a storm-resilient design that raises critical equipment above base flood elevation levels.

“After a natural disaster, Naples Airport serves as a base for rescue operations and humanitarian missions, so it’s imperative that the airfield reopens as quickly as possible after a hurricane or tropical storm,” said Chris Rozansky, executive director of the Naples Airport Authority.

Airport officials said the initiative was influenced by impacts from Hurricane Ian in 2022, when storm surge damaged airfield lighting and navigational aids and nearly flooded the airport’s lighting vault.

The Naples Airport Authority worked with the FAA on the project design, which officials said could help influence future national standards for flood-prone airports.

Construction is expected to take approximately 20 months and is funded through a combination of insurance proceeds, FAA Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocations, Florida Department of Transportation funding and resilience grants.

Airport officials said the project is part of a broader resiliency strategy that also includes deployment of a new flood barrier system designed to protect critical airport infrastructure during severe weather events.