EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -
There's new information on the massive construction project underway at Evansville Regional Airport.
The airport's board members were given an update on when the federally mandated project will be complete and what to expect during the next phase of the project.
In order for the planes to continue flying in and out of the airport, some changes have to be made. Specifically, a runway has to be moved and that could move your daily commute.
"We can't move the runway until everything else is in place," said airport manager Douglas Joest.
Phase one of the airport's runway safety project is taking off to bring the runways at Evansville Regional up to federal standards.
"Just like over the years, car safety standards have changed, so have runway standards," said Joest.
One of the runways, according to those new regulations, is too close to St. George Road and Highway 41. The plan is to move that runway up.
"We're essentially sliding the runway 2,400 feet to the northeast," said Joest.
Because of that, some roads around the runway have to be rerouted. Right now, the focus is on Oakhill Road and the curve near Oak Hill School. Instead of the curve going northwest and connecting to Highway 57, it will eventually go northeast and connect with Kansas Road. Two roundabouts will also be built along this stretch and later this year, a portion of the railroad track will be moved.
While this construction could cause some traffic headaches, flights should not be affected.
"We do have a secondary runway and so we should be able to service everything we have through that runway." said airport spokesperson Dianna Page.
One concern though is emergency vehicles that travel though this area. The airport's manager says he's met with central dispatch and alerted them of the changes.
"As the roads go in, there will be temporary closures and detours and we want to make sure that it gets distributed to the responding agencies if they have a call in this area," said Joest.
Congress has mandated the project be completed by 2015. Most of it is being funded by the federal government.
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