New Jersey travelers should prepare for flight delays when flying this spring and summer because a major runway at Newark International Airport has been closed for renovations. As part of a $121 million renovation project, Runway 4L-22R will be closed for 60 days. This began on April 15th, and travelers can expect the runway to open mid-June. Read on for what to know about EWR's runway renovation project and what these potential delays can mean for New Jersey passengers.

About EWR's Runway Renovation Project

On April 15th, Newark International Airport shut down one of its biggest runways, in alignment with a $121 million rehabilitation project to repair its infrastructure to meet current FAA standards. Runway 4L-22R will be closed for the next 60 days and will reopen sometime in mid-June.

According to EWR's construction advisory, the Runway 4L-22R was last renovated in 2014 and is due for a much-needed update. Come summer, the runway will include a paved runway surface, updated lighting, improved airfield signs with LED lighting, new electrical infrastructure, and drainage improvements.

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This project is part of a two-year construction initiative to renovate and upgrade several of EWR's sites. This started in 2024 and is expected to continue into 2026. The next planned upgrade will be on September 16th, 2025, for the Corbin Street Ramp Project. The ramp will be closed for one year, and "all vehicular traffic will be detoured via Marlin and Kellogg streets," as per EWR.

Flight Delays

Because Runway 4L-22R, which is 11,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, is the airport's busiest runway for departing flights, travelers may encounter flight delays, as per EWR's construction advisory. According to the Federal Register, "The runway closure is expected to impact carrier operations at EWR in two phases throughout the day for both arrivals and departures." This includes from 6AM to 2PM for arrivals and 6AM to 4PM for departures.

To mitigate these delays, the Federal Aviation Administration has suggested limiting arrivals to 35 per hour from 6AM to 2PM and no more than 31 arrivals from 3PM through the end of the day. For departures, it was suggested that the airport limit departures to 35 departures per hour from 6AM to 4PM, with no more than 31 departures per hour from 5PM through the end of the day.

The FAA has estimated that approximately 21% of all arrivals will experience delays, averaging 38 minutes each, and 44% of all departures are expected to be delayed by an average of 39.9 minutes. "These arrival delays would be unrecoverable throughout the day," the Federal Register shared.

Until the runway reopens, the FAA is currently redirecting flights to Runways 4R-22L and 11-29.

Travelers are advised to plan ahead and allow for extra time and check with their airlines for any schedule changes and updates.

Those flying this upcoming weekend should also be aware that the Airtrain System will undergo a maintenance shutdown from 8PM on April 26th to 8AM on April 27th. As an alternative, a free shuttle bus service will be provided. See this link for shuttle bus pick-up and drop-off locations.

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