$100 million Lincoln runway project paves the way for expanded commercial, military aircraft traffic

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A $100 million runway project is underway at the Lincoln Airport.

The massive 18/36 runway will span nearly 2.5 miles. And on Friday, dozens gathered for a tour and presentation on the project.

It was originally built decades ago and was instrumental during the Cold War. The military landed B-47 bombers at the airport.

But officials said it has fallen into disrepair and is costly to maintain.

So crews have broken up all of the concrete to make way for a reconstruction project.

“This is a unique piece of infrastructure,” said Chad Lay, the director of planning for the Lincoln Airport Authority. “It is not common. And as a result, this has given us a number of advantages over the years.”

The runway is 12,901 feet long, 200 feet wide and 17 inches deep.

Officials said there are many reasons why they’re prioritizing this runway.

“It is important for our community from a civilian travel perspective,” Sen. Eliot Bostar said, who helped secure funding from the State of Nebraska. “It’s important for trade, as we’ve seen from a number of unique examples. And it’s important for our military missions.”

Once it’s complete, it will be incredibly versatile. Commercial planes will land there along with almost any military aircraft.

“Its capabilities are so robust that it was even designed as an emergency contingency landing site for NASA’s space shuttle,” said Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, the commander of the Nebraska National Guard.

It’s an expensive project estimated to cost $100 million.

But it’s almost entirely funded by the National Guard Bureau, government grants at the state and federal level and the Lincoln Airport Authority.

Officials said the investment will be worth it and solidify Lincoln’s role in national security.

“We are open for business in Nebraska,” Sen. Deb Fischer said. “We are connected to the nation, and we are committed to the security of this country.”

During construction, commercial flights will use other runways at the airport.

The first two phases of the project are expected to be completed by the end of the year. Once that is done, planes can use it to land.

The entire runway is set to open for landings by the fall of 2027.