Thun Field runway closes two days

Saturday Oct 10 2009 1:20 PM

Pierce County's Thun Field Airport runway will close for two days, Oct. 12-13, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to conduct geotechnical testing.

A consultant will test soils near the runway as a preliminary step in the 2010 runway improvement project design. The project will widen and resurface the runway from 60 to 75 feet. No lengthening of the runway is planned.

A notice to pilots (NOTAM) of the upcoming closure has been filed with the Federal Aviation Administration. The universal sign for runway closure - a 10 by 60-foot yellow "X" - will be placed at each end of the runway while the geotechnical work is being performed. In addition, three signboards have been erected at the airport to give pilots advance notice of the temporary change of operations.

The runway can be re-opened if an emergency situation arises.

Contact: Steven Caputo, Transportation Operations supervisor, 253-798-5984, scaputo@co.pierce.wa.us, or Hunter George, Pierce County Communications director, 253-798-6606, or hgeorge@co.pierce.wa.us

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