GREENSBORO, N.C.—
More than 1,000 people ran a 5k Saturday on Piedmont Triad International Airport's new 9,000 foot FedEx runway to celebrate years of development to make the airport the company's Mid-Atlantic sorting hub.The '5k on the Runway' celebrated the completion of the runway, which lies parallel to the airport's existing 10,000 foot runway.
"It's kind of neat. I got out there on this big white spot and didn't realize what it was at first, and then I remember it was one of the numbers on the runway. And it's kinda different being up close and personal to it." said Chuck Nealen, who participated in the 5k.
PTI Airport Executive Director Ted Johnson says the runway's completion is just one of many projects at the airport since FedEx chose PTI Airport in 1998 as it's east coast sorting hub.
"Since that time we've been constructing three or four major projects -- one was this runway, another was grading the FedEx site, the relocation of Bryan Boulevard." Johnson said.
While the runway marks a major milestone in FedEx's development in Greensboro, Johnson says the economy is affecting operations for FedEx. Fewer than 25 FedEx flights currently take off from PTI Airport each day. And while FedEx planned to employ at least 1,500 full and part-time workers, Johnson says the some of the plans may take longer to fulfill.
"FedEx really enhances the economic development of an area when they go into it. It'll take a few years for it to happen, but within a period of time you'll expect to see this whole area benefit from the fact that FedEx is at our airport." Johnson said.
The new runway cost $150 million and will accommodate other air traffic as well as FedEx flights. Johnson says the new runway, which can be used as a backup if one of the main runways is out of service, gives the airport additional scheduling flexibility and should limit delays.
But on Saturday, Nealen says his family wasn't concerned about delays.
"My mother-in-law said 'make sure there's no plane that lands on you while you're out there running.' She was worried about it." Nealen said.
