A traveler walks past a United Airlines aircraft, ahead of the July 4th holiday, at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on July 1, 2023. Travel forecasters are predicting record travel for the July 4th weekend, but this year’s celebration may also be something of a battle with the elements. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds / AFP) (Photo by STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has reopened its main runway on Saturday afternoon, after a section of the pavement came loose and needed "immediate repair," the Metro Washington Airports Authority told News4.
The emergency repair and temporary runway shutdown left travelers stuck in planes on the tarmac on a hot day, and other travelers delayed inside the airport.
According to FlightAware.com, a flight tracking website, around 3:15 p.m., DCA saw "departure delays of 31 minutes to 45 minutes (and increasing)" due to the runway shutdown.
"We hope to reopen it within an hour and will provide an update," DCA said in a statement.
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. >Sign up here.
The shorter runway at the airport was still open while repairs were done to the main runway, DCA added.
The main runway reopened at 3:25 p.m. -- about one hour after the closure was announced around 2:30 p.m.
The section of pavement was in a part of the runway that "that will soon be replaced by our ongoing pavement rehabilitation project," according to MWAA.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
News4's own Adam Tuss recently reported on the overnight repairs that take place at the airport runway every night.
That's because the airport’s main runway needs serious repairs. Cracks have formed, and the sub-base 8 inches below the surface needs to be firmed up. Without repairs, cracks in the runway “have a chance to create a larger, pothole-type situation,” construction manager Priyam Shah said.
It was not immediately clear whether something caused the broken section of pavement to come loose, or whether it was pure wear and tear that cause the damage.
