A project that Kevin Foley, executive director of the Des Moines International Airport, calls a critical improvement for the airport’s operation, has been completed.

The reconstruction of the intersection of the airport’s two runways was finished on time and on budget in September, Foley said.

The $200 million project has often flown under the figurative radar as most public attention has been given to efforts to build a new terminal.

According to Foley, crews repairing the runway intersection hit pavement that is believed to be original pavement poured in the 1930s. That had been overlaid several times and extended and widened. But problems had developed over the years that required the intersection be rebuilt.

Those issues ranged from electrical problems to a clay tile that broke, causing drainage water to swirl and create a sinkhole under the intersection. That was repaired quickly and deemed safe to operate on. The recent reconstruction means that no major work on the runways or taxiways should be needed for at least 30 years, Foley said.

“The runways, the primary taxiways are completely reconstructed, they’re in essence brand new,” he said.

The contractor had 34 days to tear out the intersection and rebuild it. They worked 24/7 and completed it about a week ahead of schedule, Foley said.

Although it is complete, the intersection cannot be used on one runway until the FAA completes a flight check to test accuracy of navigational equipment that was moved back in place after being temporarily relocated during the project.

Foley said the equipment is needed for pilots who are using instrumentation to land a plane. The runway can be used for visual approaches, where instrumentation is not being used, he said.

That flight check is scheduled for early December, he said.

The project was funded by the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, with those funds covering 90% of the cost and the airport paying the balance, Foley said.

Foley said there were questions about whether the funding used for the runways could be diverted to the airport project first. That wasn’t possible, he said, because the funding that was received for the reconstruction of the runways was not eligible to be used for the terminal.

“And No. 2, we’re not an airport without those runways,” he said. “It’s the runways that make us an airport.”