Those of us from the Midwest grew up hearing something along the lines of, “We have two seasons here: winter and road construction.”
Well, add a third season in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul: airport runway construction.
Two runways at busy Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) are closed now through September 21. That means only two runways will be available for the busy travel season.
MSP Runway Closures
The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) said Runways 12L-30R and 4-22 are closed because of repairs. In an email, they explained some of those enhancements include:
- Full concrete reconstruction at the intersection of Runways 12L-30R and 4-22
- Reconstructing several connecting taxiways
- Installing new pavement markings
- Installing LED lighting
- Installing LED signage
Runway 12L-30R is the runway alongside the A, B, C, D, and E gates. It’s the one visible from the C Delta Sky Club. I used the FAA’s airport diagram and marked in red which runways are closed.
Runways 12R-30L and 17-35 on the field’s other side are still operational. That means especially long taxis for passengers departing from or arriving at the A, B, and C gates. (12R-30L runs alongside the F and G concourses. It’s visible from MSP’s G18 Sky Club and the InterContinental Minneapolis.)
I asked Charlie Mortling (our resident airline industry expert) if travelers can expect delays.
“More than likely,” he said. “The traffic should be manageable during VFR days.” (VFR stands for “Visual Flight Rules. To put it crudely, that means skies are clear enough that pilots can fly using visual references for navigation and not rely solely on instruments.)
“But if there’s low weather or bad conditions, there will be guaranteed delays,” Mr. Mortling added.
It should also be noted that wind conditions may affect whether both or just one of the remaining two runways will be operational. For example, during a “Straight South Flow,” the MAC says only Runway 12R will accept takeoffs and landings.
I checked FlightAware’s MSP page. As of this post, inbound flights were delayed at their originating airports by about 31 minutes. (Visibility at MSP was 10 statute miles, which is pretty good.)
There’s More Construction Next Year
Runway 12R-30L will get its own makeover in 2025. The MAC said it will be closed from April to May and September to October next year. But at least there will be three runways open then — and not during the busy summer travel period.
Final Approach
Two runways at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) are closed through September 21. Travelers should be prepared for at least some delays and perhaps long taxis to and from runways.
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