On the kind of cloudy, rainy late afternoon the third runway was designed for, an Alaska Airline jet became on Jan. 20 the first commercial aircraft to take off from the new runway.

The takeoff was part of the ceremony dedicating the long-delayed runway at Sea-Tac International Airport.

At about 3:47 p.m., U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters gave the signal to air controllers for the first operation, a departure of Alaska flight #674 to Denver.

Shortly after the first planned ceremonial departure, United flight #197 landed on the new runway.

For the first time ever in the United States, three runways opened on the same day. The other openings were at Dulles in Washington D.C. and O'Hare in Chicago.

Ironically, the United flight, which originated at Dulles, traveled to Chicago and then on to Sea-Tac.

Peters attended all three openings, winging west for the late afternoon dedication at Sea-Tac.

Peters said the third runway would cut delays at Sea-Tac in half within the first year.

She joked that delays at Sea-Tac would be as rare as rain delays at Safeco Field, the baseball stadium in downtown Seattle with a retractable roof.

"Thanksgiving has come a little bit early for Sea-Tac," Peters declared. "Flying at Sea-Tac will be as easy as finding a good latte in Seattle,"

Gov. Chris Gregoire said the runway was built in a way that "restores and enhances our environment."

Citing the need to replace the downtown Alaskan Way viaduct and the Highway 520 bridge, Gregoire noted the runway is "an example that if you hang in there long enough, you can get things done."

Gregoire added, "Even in tough economic times, we must continue to invest in our infrastructure.

The governor also read a proclamation declaring Nov. 20 "Port of Seattle Day." The Port operates the airport.

Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Robert "Bobby" Sturgell, who also attended all three dedications, remarked, "there is nothing g a pilot likes more than a new slab of concrete."

Sturgell is a former commercial pilot.

John Creighton, Port commission president, said he saw a lot of runway supporters and a few opponents in the crowd but the opening signaled "a new beginning."

"We are working hard with the community for the betterment of the community," Creighton said.

Remarked Alaska Airlines CEO Bill Ayer, "I want to say how much I appreciate the patience of the Port and community leaders."

Alaska and its subsidiary, Horizon Air, are responsible for almost 50 percent of the takeoff and landing at Sea-Tac.

Although costs escalated more than anyone imagined, Ayer said, the new runway was the best solution for flight delays.

The current projected cost is $1.013 billion.

The new runway is 8,500 feet long, 150-feet wide and 17-inches thick.

The runway and its shoulders required 130,000 cubic yards of concrete and 35,000 tons of asphalt.

Port officials note low visibility conditions occur 44 percent of the time at Sea-Tac. They say the third runway will allow two streams of traffic to arrive, cutting back on delays.

The original two runways are too close together to allow more than one stream of traffic during bad weather.