A fourth runway is slated to open at Washington Dulles International Airport this morning, the latest step in a wide-ranging makeover of the busy airport.
The new, 9,400-foot runway is the first added since the airport opened in 1962. Running north to south, it will help the airport handle increased demand for air travel and the region’s burgeoning growth.
Last year, 24.7 million travelers flew through the airport’s gates and it was the 16th busiest U.S. airport in terms of arrivals and departures, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The new runway also makes it possible for the Airbus A380, a two-level, 525-seat plane, to land at the airport. And it creates the possibility of adding a fifth runway at a later date.
The airport overhaul includes the expansion of Concourse B, construction of daily parking garages and a new air traffic control tower, along with basic renovations.
An internal transit system called AeroTrain, which will carry passengers between the main terminal and concourses, is slated to open next year.
The internal additions come as construction begins on the Dulles Rail project, which will extend public transit to the airport.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters and Federal Aviation Administration acting Administrator Bobby Sturgell plan to join state, local and airport officials at the runway’s opening ceremony this morning, watching the first commercial flight take off from the new runway.
