--- In BATN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "4/29 SMCo. Times" <batn@...> wrote: Published Saturday, April 29, 2006, in the San Mateo County Times SFO to shut runway as part of upgrade By Amy Yarbrough One of San Francisco International Airport's main runways is shutting down for more than two weeks, but the closure is not expected to affect travelers and area residents, according to an airport official. The runaway was slated to close at 10:30 p.m. Friday night for repaving, part of a $12.6 million improvement project taking place over the next five months. Provided there are no construction delays due to weather, the runway is scheduled to reopen May 15, according to Duty Manager Denis Richardson. During the repaving, departing planes will be diverted to one of the airport's two runways traditionally used for arrivals, Richardson said. "There will be no impact on arrivals or departures," he said. The construction, which involves laying about 70,000 tons of asphalt, is not expected to be noisy, Richardson said. Diverting some of the departing flights to another runway might even make things quieter for residents. Because some of the departing planes will be shifted from a west-to-east runway to a north-to-south runaway, they will take off with their engines facing the Bay instead of homes in Millbrae and Burlingame. "Actually, it may decrease the noise," Richardson said. After the 15-day closure, the runway will be reopened for normal use during the day and then closed at points late at night and early in the morning over the next five months. The overall project involves not only repaving the entire length of the runway, but replacing all of the runway and taxiway lighting systems, and widening the shoulders of adjacent taxiways. --- End forwarded message ---