Mitchell International Airport

Milwaukee airport runway reopens a day after pothole discovered

Milwaukee

Snow removal at Mitchell International Airport takes place when accumulations reach an amount that's hazardous for take off and landing. FAA requires that as soon as 1 inch or more of snow is on a runway, it has to be cleared. Crews have 20-30 minutes to clear 410 acres of pavement at the airport. This photo is from a storm in 2018.

The north-south runway at Mitchell International Airport reopened Sunday night after being shut down over the weekend because of a pothole.

Airport maintenance crews patched the pothole Sunday, which was caused by the freeze-thaw cycle affecting the rest of the Milwaukee area following subzero weather last week and then above-freezing temperatures.

Flights were not affected because air traffic control operators switched landings and takeoffs to the east-west runway, said Mitchell airport spokeswoman Patricia Rowe.

The pothole was noticed Saturday afternoon. The runway reopened at 8:16 p.m. local time Sunday.

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