New Northwest Runway

The new landing runway will be some 2,800 meters (9.240 ft) long. The centerline separation from the existing North runway will be approx. 1,400 meters (4.620 ft). This will allow for simultaneous landing operations on these two runways, which are not possible on the existing parallel runways because they are not far enough apart.

Associated taxiways and installations

A parallel taxiway is planned at a distance of 200 meters (660 ft) from the new landing runway. The runway and the parallel taxiway will be connected by six high-speed exit taxiways and one exit taxiway each at the eastern and western ends of the runway.

Two taxiway bridges over the ICE high-speed rail line, the A3 autobahn and the Airport Ring Road will connect the new runway and associated taxiways to the airport's existing core airside operations area. The runway will permit all-weather operations and allow ILS Category IIIb approaches.

Location

The site of the new landing runway is located partly in the Kelsterbach Forest (the so-called Mönchwald)

Summary

With this runway option, the airport will achieve the envisaged capacity goal of 120 movements per hour. Some 217 hectares (536 acres) of land will be needed for the Northwest runway, including the connecting taxiways to the apron. Woodland consumption will amount to 162 hectares (400 acres) of protective forest.

The new runway offers the best cost-benefit ratio both in economic terms and ecological terms.