Naples Airport will elevate airport lighting to protect against future storms

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK) — Naples Airport will break ground on a $25.4 million project to install elevated runway lighting, making it one of the first coastal airports in the nation to do so. 

• RELATED: Naples Airport reopens observation deck after seasonal refresh

The initiative aims to protect the airport's operations during hurricanes and tropical storms. This technology is very common in the Northern U.S. to help fight visibility issues from snowstorms, as well as snow accumulation.

The airport will install 1,080 elevated edge lights along runways and taxiways, positioned 20 inches off the ground to guard against storm surge flooding. The watertight lights represent a significant departure from typical southern airports, where lighting is often mounted flush to the ground or just 14 inches above ground level. 

The project will take 20 months to complete, and Chris Rozansky, the Executive Director of the Naples Airport Authority says that people who fly out of the airport shouldn't experience service delays. 

"It will be phased to minimize this eruption with a lot of work taking place at night," Rozansky said. "So the customers, users of the airport shouldn't notice tremendous disruption, the airport will always remain open throughout the project."

While elevated airfield lights are common at northern airports to maintain visibility during snowstorms, Naples Airport worked closely with the FAA to advocate for this practical design change for flood-prone coastal facilities. The FAA now intends to update its national design standards as a result.

During Hurricane Ian in 2022, storm surge inundated portions of Naples Airport, destroying airfield lighting and navigational aids. Underground floodwaters came within inches of breaching the airport's lighting vault, which could have knocked out all lighting systems and prevented nighttime operations for weeks or months.

The project also includes reconstructing the electrical vault with storm-resilient design features. Equipment will be raised above the base flood elevation and positioned three feet higher than its current location.

Naples Airport serves as home to critical public services including law enforcement, fire and ambulance services and mosquito control. The facility also functions as a base for rescue operations and humanitarian missions following natural disasters.

In August 2025, the airport received a Tiger Dam flood barrier system consisting of 3,000 feet of flexible tubing that forms a strong, airtight barrier when filled with water. The system can be deployed within hours to protect buildings, equipment and technology.

The Naples Airport Authority's Board of Commissioners approved the $25.4 million project in October 2025. According to the airport, zero taxpayer dollars are used to fund capital projects like this one.