DFW Runway 18R/36L Rehabilitation Project

Friday May 29 2020

DFW would like to inform you of the upcoming runway rehabilitation project that could affect air traffic in your vicinity.  DFW will fully close Runway 18R/36L for extensive rehabilitation work beginning on June 1, 2020 and continuing until late April, 2021.  This project is part of DFW Airport’s 10-year Infrastructure Rehabilitation program to address runways and taxiways that will need significant rehabilitation work. Runway 18R/36L is DFW’s primary west-side arrival runway handling approximately 40% of DFW’s daily arrivals.  The 13,400 foot runway was built in 1984 and is in critical need of rehabilitation.  

As a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, operations are at historic lows due to international travel restrictions and low demand for travel at the moment. As a result of the lower operations, DFW has decided to accelerate this project to begin June 1, 2020 to take advantage of the current situation. This will not only complete the project under less-than-normal operations, but will also continue to create jobs in the area. The accelerated schedule will also result in less impacts to communities due to the lower operational levels.

Runway 18R/36L Closure:

DFW is planning the closure of Runway 18R/36L from June 1st, 2020 through late April, 2021. This is to accommodate the rehabilitation of this runway, which entails the following: replacement of the center third of the runway including over 34 acres of damaged concrete, replacement of runway electrical including over 2000 airfield lights as well as reconstruction of shoulders, blast pads, and drainage.  Finally, the runway will be resurfaced with hot mix asphalt overlay.  A Fact Sheet about the Runway 18R/36L Project is attached, detailing the project, including its schedule and what to expect during the project.  We also outlined the anticipated effects on runway use below.

What to Expect: 

Surrounding communities may experience an increase in noise within their neighborhoods from the effects of the change in operations during the closure.  In general, because aircraft take off and land into the wind, when winds are southerly aircraft take off to the south and land from north to south.  When winds are northerly, aircraft take off to the north (or northwest in the case of the use of Runway 31L) and land from south to north.  Keep in mind that surface winds don’t always dictate flow as winds above the surface and/or operational needs can affect the direction for which aircraft take off and land.

During the Full Closure of the project, the following runway utilization is anticipated:

Full Closure (June 1, 2020 – late April, 2021)

  • Runway 18R/36L will be closed to all traffic
  • Air Traffic will shift to other runways increasing operations on those runways
  • Operational levels are significantly reduced thus impacts to communities will be less than expected.
  • Potential for increased use of all arrival runways during 10 PM – 7 AM
  • North Flow:  When the winds are out of the north (approximately 30% of the year):
    • Arrivals will shift frm Runway 36L (arrival runway) to other runways, resulting in increased operations on those runways:
      • Runway 35R and 31R (arrival runways) on the east side, primarily affecting Irving;
      • Runway 36L on the west side.
    • Departures will als shift to other runways, resulting in increased operations on those runways:
      • Runway 31L on the west side primarily affecting Southlake, western Grapevine, Trophy Club and Westlake;
      • Runway 36R on the west side (departure runway)
      • Runway 17R  on the east side (departure runway).
  • South Flow:  When the winds are out of the south (approximately 70% of the year):
    • Arrivals will shift frm Runway 18R (arrival runway) to other runways resulting in increased operations on those runways:
      • Runway 17L (arrival runway) on the east side, primarily affecting Coppell;
      • Runways 13R on the west side, primarily affecting Southlake, Trophy Club and Westlake
      • Runway 18L on the west side, primarily affecting Flower Mound and Lewisville
  • The shifts in aircraft operations to other runways during the closure may primarily affect the cities of Irving, Coppell, and Lewisville. Southlake, Grapevine, Trophy Club, Westlake, and Flower Mound.
  • Keep in mind that surface winds don’t always dictate flow as winds above the surface and/or operational needs can affect the direction for which aircraft take off and land.

We have included graphics that provide a visual as to how air traffic will be redistributed during the full closure. 

DFW recently released a new flight tracking website that can be used to see near-live flight tracks, see the latest DFW news on the runway project, daily statistics as well as a feature that allows the public to input their address to view current and historical flights in their vicinity.  The website can be found from DFW Airport’s Noise Web page by clicking on “View DFW Airport Noise Info”:  Aircraft Noise Webpage.

Citizens with inquiries or comments should contact DFW Airport by email at dfwnoise@dfwairport.com, or on the Noise Complaint Hotline, at 972-973-3192 (manned 24/7).  Follow-up response calls or emails will be provided, when requested.  Additionally, please visit our Aircraft Noise Webpage, for more up-to-date information as well as links to our public-facing website.

2020 18R-36L Rehab Fact Sheet (PDF)

Briefing on Runway 18R 36L - All Cities (PDF)