800 tons of asphalt in 6 hours: Inside the race to fix DCA runway

Every night when the clock strikes midnight, the race to repair Reagan National Airport’s main runway begins.

Crews start cutting, grinding and jackhammering asphalt — and they only have six hours to work before planes need to be able to take off again.

News4 got an exclusive look at the nightly scramble to fix the runway of what has become the busiest airport in the country.

DCA, located in Arlington, Virginia, just outside D.C., has been in headlines as federal lawmakers push to add more long-distance flights.

But the airport’s main runway needs serious repairs. Cracks have formed, and the sub-base 8 inches below the surface needs to be firmed up. Without repairs, cracks in the runway “have a chance to create a larger, pothole-type situation,” construction manager Priyam Shah said.

News4 Transportation Reporter Adam Tuss spent time with construction crews after midnight, wearing a reflective vest, hard hat and safety goggles.

Each night, workers work section by section to remove and replace long strips of asphalt of 15 feet by 1,000 feet. In six hours, they’re able to put down 800 tons of new asphalt.

The finished product is a smooth, beautiful surface that should last for 10 to 15 years.

Shah, the construction manager, said discussions of adding more flights to the airport underscore the need to maintain the runway.

“When I see that and hear about heavier planes, more planes, I see that as more and more need to keep up with the runway’s deterioration,” he said.

The entire runway resurfacing project is set to be complete in late 2024.