PUERTO PLATA- After ten days out of operation due to repair and remodeling work on the runway, the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (AIGL) of this province announced its reopening yesterday, May 18.
AERODOM, Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI, reported that the completion of the second phase of the works involved an investment of more than 4.5 million dollars, and in which the slabs of the central section of the runway were leveled, new approach lights were installed, new horizontal signage was placed -among other works- in order to extend the useful life of the infrastructure.
A private flight from Miami landed at AIGL at 7:24 AM yesterday, inaugurating the renovated runway. JetBlue flight 627 from New York City and American Airlines flight 2273 from Miami were also expected, among other scheduled operations.
The AIGL runway was kept closed to all air traffic for 10 days to allow a construction project to be carried out that involved demolishing the deteriorated runway slabs to their full depth, removing the granular material and placing new slabs 40 centimeters deep.
The project involved an extension of 270 linear meters by 24 meters wide, which, added to the intervention of the first phase, implied a total extension of 570 linear meters of runway intervened, increasing its resistance, which allows it to receive without restriction aircraft of greater weight and wingspan.
Likewise, as part of the project, new horizontal signage was placed along the entire runway, new thresholds were moved to comply with international regulations, and new state-of-the-art visual aids were installed at both ends of the runway (PAPI approach lights), which were installed by the company Caribe Services.
The project was coordinated by AERODOM's Technical Directorate, executed by the contractor Prodicon under the supervision of Epsa Labco, with a staff of more than 300 workers, coordinated by 25 engineers and more than 50 technicians who validated the quality at all times, according to AERODOM.
He adds that it also involved the installation of two mobile concrete plants inside the airport terminal with a capacity of 50 cubic meters per hour.
"This remodeling project is part of the commitment to maintain the highest operational safety standards of the airports belonging to the VINCI Airports network, operated by AERODOM, located in Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, Barahona and Samaná.".
Gregorio Luperón International Airport is one of the country's main air terminals, serving the North Coast. Its opening was key to the country's tourism development. It is located about 15 minutes from the city of San Felipe de Puerto Plata, 10 minutes from Sosúa, and approximately 25 minutes from Cabarete.
