Message posted by Peter Merlin on August 27, 2005 at 21:53:07 PST:
After more than a half century of use, the main runway at Edwards Air Force Base is approaching the end of its useful life. The pavement of Runway 04/22 has deteriorated rapidly in recent years due to an alkali-silica reaction that causes cracking and scaling along slab joints and corners. This creates safety hazards, such as foreign object damage, to aircraft. The 95th Air Base Wing Civil Engineer Directorate, in partnership with the 412 Operations Support Squadron, has set out to replace Runway 04/22 by FY 2008. After considiering 26 alternatives, a three-phase construction project was selected. Phase 1 involves builing a temporary runway parallel to 04/22, about midway between the main parking ramp and the current runway. From an overhaed perspective, this will give the airfield an appearance very similar to that of the Groom Lake facility. Phase 2 involves repairing half of the existing runway while operations would move from the old Runway 04/22 to the temporary airstrip (Runway 04L/22R). Phase 3 will involve completion of repairs to the remaining half of the old runway to return it to service. The temporary runway might be maintained for light duty and emergency use. The runway at Groom Lake underwent similar deterioration in the 1980s. It was replaced with a new parallel runway in the early 1990s. The old runway was reduced to half its length, by closing the north half, and eventually closed in its entirety.
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