The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, says the work will require a temporary change in flight patterns that will bring more planes than usual over communities in Jersey City, Bayonne and Staten Island.
But officials say any resulting community inconvenience may be tempered by the airlines' voluntary 15 percent reduction in scheduled flights over the construction period.
The work on Runway 4L-22R is due to start Tuesday.
It will keep the landing strip in a state-of-good-repair and add high-speed taxiways that will help reduce on-ground plane delays. The work also will create more than 500 jobs and approximately $152 million in regional economic activity.
The project also will include airfield electrical overhaul and feature energy-efficient LED lighting.
Runway 11-29, which runs in an east-west configuration, will see more landing activity than usual with flights heading inbound over portions of Bayonne, Jersey City and Staten Island.
Serving more than 35 million fliers annually, Newark Liberty International Airport supports more than 156,000 jobs, $8 billion in wages and generates more than $22 billion annually in sales activity.
