Goal To Reduce Runway Incursions

LAX's southernmost runway has finally been reopened, after eight long months of construction.

Runway 25-Left/7-Right is one of two parallel runways on the south side of the airport. It's been closed since July and was rebuilt 55 feet away from its sibling to create a center aisle between the two.

The goal of the construction is improving safety and was part of a $333 million renovation project intended to reduce close calls during aircraft movement. The world's fifth-busiest passenger airport has historically scored among the highest in the nation in runway incursions.

The airport has an unusual layout with two sets of parallel runways with the terminal in between. This requires pilots landing on an outer runway to cross an inner runway on a series of taxiways, according to The Houston Chronicle.

Airplanes cross active runways more than 900 times on any given day and the new center aisle will give airplanes a place to pause before crossing to the terminals.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the project also allows LAX to "be better able to efficiently handle the next generation of aircraft, such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, that are coming into service in the near future."

Despite runway compromises, an Airbus A380 managed to land safely at LAX for the first time on March 19. The double-decked aircraft is 239 feet long and boasts a wingspan of more than 261 feet.

Officials attribute months of joint planning by the FAA and LAX and "good weather" in helping avoid major delays during the shutdown. Of flights from July through March, less than 1 percent experienced delays of 15 minutes of longer.

"I'll bet if you spoke with the average passenger flying through here, they wouldn't have known anything was different," said Marv Shappi, operations manager at the airport tower.

FMI: www.lawa.org/