Cleveland Hopkins Airport expands, quickens snow removal from runways

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is trying to reduce the length of time people must wait for planes on snowy days and have more planes arrive on time.

Hopkins now has a team of more than 100 people operating 60 snow removal vehicles.

Hopkins used federal money to buy new equipment such as plows and ice removal machines. Officials say crews can now clear Hopkins’ 11,000-foot runway in 20 minutes — twice as fast as before.

Hopkins officials have had discussions with counterparts at airports in Buffalo and Chicago that deal with lake effect snow to determine the best methods for snow removal.

The airport also is developing a system for removing snow from runways when fewer planes are flying.