Newark Liberty International Airport has been in the news quite a bit lately, and not in a good way. There have been major flight delays, issues with antiquated software and equipment, a shortage of air traffic controllers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has had his hands full in his first four months in the role, and has addressed air travel concerns — at Newark and elsewhere — with understandable frustration at the current state of things, but determination that improvements are being and will be made and assurances to the public that safety remains the number one priority.
READ MORE: Watch: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Addresses Air Travel Concerns Head-On on 'Meet the Press'
Well, there is, in fact, some good news for Newark: One of its runways, which had been closed for repairs since mid-April, is back up and running 13 days ahead of schedule.
At 11,000 feet long, Runway 4L-22R has been undergoing rehabilitation after signs of wear. The Federal Aviation Administration has now deemed it safe for travel.
The runway was last rehabilitated in 2014, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and was due for more work as runways are typically rehabilitated about every 10 years.
The project cost $121 million and began in early March, with work including re-paving the runway surface, updating lighting, improving airfield signs, installing new underground electrical infrastructure and improving drainage.
The runway was fully shut down on April 15 to accommodate construction. It will continue to be closed on nights and weekends to be sure it is fully rehabilitated by the end of the year.
Duffy delivered remarks at a press conference on Monday and highlighted the progress that has been made and the dedication of his agency and their partners in addressing the Newark issues to see that the requisite fixes are made.
Watch:
Everyone who touches the problem is helping fix it. We are solving the issues at Newark Airport in record time. pic.twitter.com/HX2LASSY3h
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) June 2, 2025
From that presser:
"Everyone who touches the problem is giving their full-hearted effort — they're leaning into the problem and helping fix the problem. From the Port Authority — again, 13 days early, opening the runway today — but you've also heard we have a telecom problem. And so, we had a glitch in the system; the FAA did a remarkable job fixing the glitch in our software. But then Verizon stood up and said, 'You know what? We are going to make this a priority; we're going to fix the not-so-great line that goes from the Philly TRACON up to N90 here in New York.' And they did that in record time — in less than a month's time.
"Now, that new fiber line's not stood up yet because we're testing it. Right now, it has to be tested — the FAA has some pretty laborious testing procedures, which is — we appreciate that, Chris, thank you — but that process is underway and, again, happening very quickly. By the way, after that, we're laying fiber from N90 to Newark, but the line from N90 to Newark has not been a real issue for us. So, again, everybody who touches the problem stands up and helps fix the problem."
I'm not sure how often I recall hearing that a government project was completed ahead of schedule. That certainly seems to be the aim and the pattern here, which is a refreshing change of pace.
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