DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – U.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant (TX-24) this week attended the Dallas/Forth International Airport unveiling of a new runway system that is designed to ease ground traffic and improve safety. 

The new development, which is called a perimeter taxiway runway system, allows arriving planes to safely taxi on the outskirts of the airport’s runway system without having to impede other air traffic.  The first quadrant of the system is located on the southeast side of the airport, the busiest area of the airport. 

According to a statement by the Dallas/Forth Worth Airport, the new taxiways will eliminate hundreds of aircraft crossings a day at the Airport, where as many as 1,500 runway crossings occur daily.

“The Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport is truly leading the way to a faster, safer way to get people to their gates,” said Marchant.  “Not only does the new runway system increase travel efficiency time for passengers, it improves airline arrival and departure safety standards.”  

In a statement Thursday, the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport said, “The concept is simple in theory: build new taxiways along the perimeter of the airfield, enabling arriving aircraft to taxi around D/FW’s seven active runways rather than wait to cross them. That avoids the risk of possible incursions and increases the use of runways for takeoffs and landings. It also reduces the need for air traffic controllers to manage intersecting airplane traffic on the airfield.”

The Federal Aviation Administration provided 75 percent of the funding to build the first quadrant, which took $67 million to complete.

Several dignitaries joined Marchant at the event. 

###