On March 27, 2022, the renovation of the median of runway 10/28 will start at Zurich Airport. The construction work on the main runway will take around 70-80 nights.

Runway 10/28 was put into operation in 1948 with a length of 1.900 meters and was extended in 1959 to 1960 to its current length of 2.500 meters. It was built with a concrete superstructure with a service life of around 30 years, depending on how intensively it is used. After 1985, the 30-year-old median of runway 28 has to be renewed for the second time because it has reached the end of its useful life. According to the airport, the same technology will be used for the planned renovation as for the renovation of runways 14/32 in 2014. During the day, aircraft must be able to take off and land normally on the runway.

In connection with the structural renovation of runway 10/28, the approach, runway and taxiway lighting will also be completely renewed. Linked to this is the switch from halogen to new, communicative LED lights. They will be developed from the new above-ground transformer stations in Riet and Himmelbach and the underground transformer stations in Mitte. These were created between 2019 and 2020.

challenge weather

Dry weather during construction nights is key to adhering to the tight construction plan. If the conditions are ideal, the renovation can be completed before the summer holidays. If the weather is bad, the work after the summer break can continue until mid-September, since every night on which construction cannot be carried out due to bad weather has to be made up.