Each day, hundreds of planes land on the two runways at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport – and leave behind rubber each time they land.
So much rubber accumulates that if it's not removed, the runways would become slick in rain and make takeoffs and landings dangerous.
"What it comes down to is friction," said Mike Nonnemacher, the airport's director of operations. "When you put rubber against rubber and it's wet, you slide."
The airport's north and south runways will be closed intermittently from Monday, June 8 through Sunday, June 14, mostly during the overnight hours, to allow rubber removal and painting.