Base leadership and visiting guests await the ribbon cutting during the opening of new Joint Base Charleston Runway Aug. 7, 2013, at JB Charleston – Air Base, S.C. The construction project began last summer to replace the aging main runway, which was over 50 years old. The original runway was safely kept in service by routine inspections and conducting spot repairs. However, the runway was well beyond its originally programmed service life and was in need of replacement. The newly constructed runway is 9,000 feet long and 150-feet wide and 18-inches thick at a cost approximately $40 million. The runways at Joint Base Charleston are part of a dual-use airfield and are shared with the Charleston County Aviation Authority and private industry. The new runway will be capable of supporting Air Force mission requirements and also serve the local community. In addition, the project added high efficiency LED lighting fixtures, improved infrastructure for navigational aids and an updated aircraft arresting system used to safely recover fighter aircraft experiencing mechanical issues.(U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Chacarra Neal)