DOT&PF Opens Nome Airport Runway After Completing Repairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 11, 2012

 Contact: Hannah Blankenship, (907) 451-5307, Hannah.Blankenship@alaska.gov 

DOT&PF Opens Nome Airport Runway After Completing Repairs

(NOME, Alaska) – Runway 10-28 at the Nome Airport is now open after an emergency closure to repair a large dip in the runway. The dip was a safety concern. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) opened the runway 3 p.m. Thursday after completing necessary repairs.

Unstable soils caused the reoccurring dip in the runway, requiring repairs approximately every five years. DOT&PF contracted Twin Peaks Construction to make the repairs, which for the first time included dynamic compaction of the soil.

“We are optimistic this repair means we won’t have to return in five years to fix this reoccurring dip,” Bill O’Halloran, DOT&PF Northern Region director of maintenance and operations, said.

Airlines used the existing crosswind during the closure. Recognizing the significance of the closure, crews worked strategically around poor weather to ensure the runway was open before winter.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 255 airports, 11 ferries serving 35 communities, 5,619 miles of highway and 720 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to Get Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.

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