VIPA Shares Latest Update on CEKA Runway Paving

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 6, 2026

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands – The paving and rehabilitation of the Cyril E. King Airport (STT) runway began on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, and will continue through the end of the year. The project is being done in phases. The first phase focuses on resurfacing the airport’s 7,000-foot runway, which involves milling the top three inches of the existing asphalt pavement and applying a new three-inch layer of asphalt. Additionally, the project will include electrical upgrades, such as the installation of new LED runway and navigational lighting.

On May 5 and 6, the paving work commenced on the West Blast Pad of the CEKA Runway, closing the runway to aircraft at 10:00 PM AST. The Blast Pad area is being milled and overlaid in three sections, each approximately 200 feet long by 70 feet wide, with one section being completed per night. The southernmost section was finished, which involved milling approximately three inches of existing asphalt and overlaying it with three inches of new asphalt. Island Roads Corporation produced and placed 236 tons of asphalt during the nightly work. Following the paving, temporary pavement markings were applied to the new asphalt surface. The CEKA Runway reopened at 5:10 AM AST.

The planned work for the night of May 6, 2026 consists of repaving a similarly sized section in the center portion of the Blast Pad.  All work will take place overnight, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each day.

The Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) will continue to provide regular updates about this project to keep the community and traveling public informed.

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Media Contact:

Monifa Brathwaite, Public Information Officer

Office: (340) 714-6640  Email: info@viport.com