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Change of plans: Entire Offutt runway now set to be replaced

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A plan by the U.S. Air Force to replace part of the nearly 80-year-old, crumbling runway at Offutt Air Force Base south of Omaha has been expanded to a complete replacement of the runway.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that members of Nebraska’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, confirmed the new plan.

Offutt’s 55th Wing had planned to replace the worst of the runway at a cost of nearly $100 million. Now, Fischer says, the entire 11,700-foot airstrip will be torn up and new surface installed. Lt. Col. Vance Goodfellow, deputy commander of the 55th Mission Support Group, says the revised cost is about $130 million.

The 55th Wing’s flight operations will move to the Lincoln Airport late this year while the new runway is rebuilt. The project is expected to be completed by December 2020.

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