Part of the Cyril E. King Airport runway. Photo Credit: V.I. CONSORTIUM.
The V.I. Port Authority is gearing up for the full-scale rehabilitation of the Cyril E. King Airport’s runway. The project is anticipated to improve the safety, reliability, and long-term operability of St. Thomas’ only runway.
Preston Beyer, VIPA’s director of engineering, provided an update during Wednesday’s meeting of the agency's governing board. The authority has issued a Notice to Proceed (1) to the contractor, Island Roads Corporation. The notice forms part of the project’s administrative process. VIPA is currently working through pre-construction submissions with the contractor, including the quality control and pavement plans, said Mr. Beyer.
“We're still working on a finalized schedule with the contractor,” he noted. Mr. Beyer is hopeful for an April commencement of the project.
As VIPA has previously shared, the rehabilitation project will take place overnight, with an airport closure running from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. During that time, the contractor will replace the existing asphalt with a new layer approximately 3 inches deep.
“This is going to happen every single night over the course of 2026,” Mr. Beyer noted. Electrical system upgrades, new runway markings, and “changes to navigational aids” also form part of the rehabilitation.
Despite the hard closure at night, VIPA Executive Director Carlton Dowe assured that accommodations will be made for emergency medical evacuations that have to take place during the project’s working hours.
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