Runway 9/27 at Boston Logan International Airport (KBOS) closed today for the start of the first of two 75-day safety construction project phases. The $110 million project, which will be largely funded by the FAA, will install an engineered material arresting system (EMAS) at the end of Runway 27, which abuts Boston Harbor.
“EMAS is a vital safety system at Boston Logan and other airports located near water or ground elevation changes,” said Massport, which operates the airport. Constructed of a lightweight, collapsible material, it is intended to stop an airplane that has overshot the runway. In place at airports around the world, EMAS has prevented scores of serious accidents.
The project at KBOS will construct a pile-supported deck over the harbor to extend the runway safety area to a length of 650 feet from the runway’s end, along with emergency access ramps on either side of the deck. Massport noted that this is a required FAA safety project that does not extend the runway or change its operational capacity. Following a second 75-day closure in third-quarter 2026, Runway 27 will be the third at KBOS to be equipped with EMAS, joining Runways 22R and 33L.
Massport noted that during the closure periods, there will be an impact on the number of airplanes that can land and take off at KBOS, which could cause possible delays or diversions.