Melbourne Airport has broken ground on its new taxiway network project, worth A$300m (US$210m), marking the single biggest airfield investment for the airport since its opening in 1970.
The new Taxiway Zulu network will create hundreds of jobs for Victorians during the three-and-a-half-year construction project and will provide valuable additional space for aircraft traffic, improving the efficiency of movements on the ground as well as supporting the growth in Melbourne’s international connectivity.
The construction project will see the development of more than 250,000m2 (2,690,000ft2) of new taxiway pavement and is designed to be completed without significant interruption to the airport’s daily flights.
Melbourne Airport’s chief of aviation, David Hall, said, “Today [June 24] is not just about breaking ground on a A$300m investment in our airfield; it is about transforming the travel experience for our passengers. When completed, these new taxiways will mean better on-time performance for flights, more space for international aircraft and access to new destinations. It’s all part of our vision to support Melbourne on its journey to become Australia’s biggest city.”
The finished taxiway network will result in parallel taxiways in the north of the airfield, supporting wide-body aircraft movements in both the east-west and north-south directions.