Runway D, the fourth runway of Haneda Airport in Tokyo-JAPAN, began operating on 10/21 2010. Arrivals and departures at the airport will increase from the current total of 303,000 a year to 447,000 a year by fiscal 2013. Construction of Runway D started in March 2007 to enable expanded services to Europe, North America and Asia. The runway is 3,120 meters long, including the taxiway and other peripheral zones. A 1,100-meter section spans the mouth of the Tamagawa river. A support structure resembling that of a pier was used so the runway would not obstruct the river's flow, requiring a total of 1,165 stainless steel-plated iron pillars to be driven into the sea bed. With Runway D completed, the airport now has four runways that are arranged like a rectangle whose sides have come adrift. The unusual layout--two of the runways cross over each other at one point--brings with it complications that mean safety measures are of even greater importance.
