Rwy 17R Rehabilitaiton Project

Tuesday August 15 2023

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 17R/35L for extensive rehabilitation work beginning on August 15, 2023 and continuing until Early Summer 2024.  Runway 17R/35L is the third runway to be rehabilitated as part of DFW Airport’s 10-year Infrastructure Rehabilitation program to address runways and taxiways that will need significant rehabilitation work. The 13,400 foot runway was built in 1974 and after 48 years is in critical need of rehabilitation. Runway 17R/35L is DFW’s primary east-side departure runway handling approximately 50% of DFW’s daily departures. 

Runway 17R/35L Closure:

About the project:

To reduce impacts on the local communities and airfield operations, DFW is phasing the project in such a way as to keep the runway operational as long as possible, limiting the overall operational impacts during peak operating months.

  • Phase 1 began in January 2023 which involved other airfield surfaces, while the runway remains open to air traffic.
  • Phase 2 will be the most significant change for the surrounding communities and includes the full closure of Runway 17R/35L from August 15th, 2023 through Early Summer, 2024. This is to accommodate the complete rehabilitation of this 13,400 foot runway, which also includes the following: northeast and southeast holding pads replacement, replacement of runway electrical as well as reconstruction of shoulders, blast pads, and drainage. Finally, the runway will be resurfaced with a hot mix asphalt overlay
  • Phase 3 from Summer to Fall of 2024 will be involve a partial closure of the runway on the southern end. The runway will re-opened and available for air traffic, though it may not operate at full capacity.
  • Phase 4 will commence in Fall of 2024 to complete the project, while the runway remains open to air traffic. 
  • A Fact Sheet about the Runway 17R/35L Project is attached, detailing the project, including the 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 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.

In general during the closure, when the east-side departure runway is closed, many departures will shift to Runway 17C/35C, the primary arrival runway on the east side, and some departures will shift to the west side runways. The arrivals that typically use Runway 17C/35C will be shifted to the outboard runways, including Runway 17L/35R and Runway 13R/31L. Further details are provided below.

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

Full Closure (August 15 – Early Summer 2024)

  • Runway 17R/35L will be closed to all traffic
  • Air Traffic will shift to other runways increasing operations on those runways
  • Potential for increased use of all arrival runways during 10 PM – 7 AM
  • South Flow:  When the winds are out of the south (approximately 70% of the year):
    • Departures will shift frm Runway 17R (departure runway) to other runways, primarily to Runway 17C (arrival runway), resulting in increased operations on those runways:
      • Runway 17C (primary arrival runway on the east side) will share departures and arrivals, primarily affecting Coppell and Irving;
      • Runway 17L (arrival runway) on the east side, primarily affecting Coppell and Irving
      • Runway 13R on the west side, primarily affecting Southlake, Trophy Club and Westlake
      • Runways 18L and 18R on the west side, primarily affecting Flower Mound and Lewisville
  • North Flow:  When the winds are out of the north (approximately 30% of the year):
    • Departures will shift frm Runway 35L (departure runway) to other runways, primarily to Runway 35C (arrival runway),resulting in increased operations those runways:
      • Runway 35C (primary arrival runway on the east side) will share departures and arrivals, primarily affecting Coppell and Irving;
      • Runway 31L (departures) on the west side, primarily affecting Southlake, western Grapevine, Trophy Club and Westlake;
      • Runway 36R (departure runway) on the west side, primarily affecting Grapevine;
    • Arrivals will shift frm Runway 35C (arrival runway) to other runways, resulting in increased operations on those runways:
      • Runways 35R and 31R (arrival runways) on the east side, primarily affecting Irving;
      • Runway 36L on the west side, primarily affecting Arlington.
  • 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 a project fact sheet, which includes a graphic representation of the runways and project information, as well as graphics that provide a visual as to how air traffic will be redistributed during the full closure.

DFW also has a 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. Media inquiries received may be forwarded to our media team at media@dfwairport.com.