Raleigh-Durham International Airport’s main commercial runway is reaching the end of its lifespan. Built 40 years ago, it’s now due for replacement, and the airport is deep into the work required to make that happen.
Today, we’re going behind-the-scenes with Bill Sandifer, executive vice president and chief development officer, to check in on RDU’s largest construction project in the airport’s history.
Moving Lots — and Lots — of Dirt
Before a new runway can be paved, crews must move and plane more than two miles of terrain.
“Where we sit here today is, we’re on the cusp of about a million cubic yards being moved,” Sandifer said. “We’ve got about four million left to go.”
The earthwork is massive, but it’s only part of the story. The location of the current runway limits how much the terminal can grow.
Moving the runway further away opens the door to more gates at T2, including more international gates, a critical piece of RDU’s long-term air service growth.
Relocating Lumley Road
Getting there requires relocating a portion of Lumley Road, which currently sits too close to the end of RDU’s Runway 23R, inside what’s known as the runway protection zone.
Construction on the new Lumley Road alignment begins later this year and wraps in summer 2028. From there, crews will remove the old roadway and regrade the area, setting the stage for the new runway’s opening in 2029. Want to learn about the runway replacement project? Read more at TransformRDU.com.