Narrative:

We were cleared to taxi to 4R via the outer and bravo, to hold short of 4L. Approaching 4L we were cleared across 4L to hold short of 4R. About the time we entered the 4L runway environment, I called ewr tower to get clarification of our instructions. (Ground control had instructed us to contact tower for clearance to cross 4L, and we had received clearance to cross from tower.) at that time tower told us to 'stop right there, hold short of 4L'. We stopped and advised tower that we were on the runway environment. The nose of our aircraft was even with the runway edge. At this time I saw a widebody transport about 3 miles out approaching 4L. Tower instructed the widebody transport to go around and cleared us across 4L. The flight departed without further incident. On reflecting on the incident, I see several factors. First, there was a runway change in progress at the time and simultaneously either 4L or 4R, I'm not sure which, was being reopened. Second, due to construction in the 'pad' area of 4L a nonstandard confign for ewr was being used, ie, landing 4L and departing 4R instead of the other way around. Third, also due to the construction, nonstandard taxi patterns were is use, probably distracting the controllers and certainly distracting us. Had we not been so busy trying to decipher the new taxi patterns, I might have seen the widebody transport earlier in the haze and queried the tower. It's been said before and I'll say it again -- all parties need to be extra careful when there is a change, however minor, in a routine.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CLEARED TO CROSS LEFT RWY ENROUTE TO RIGHT RWY, THEN TOLD TO STOP RIGHT THERE. WDB ON FINAL DID A GO AROUND.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO 4R VIA THE OUTER AND BRAVO, TO HOLD SHORT OF 4L. APCHING 4L WE WERE CLRED ACROSS 4L TO HOLD SHORT OF 4R. ABOUT THE TIME WE ENTERED THE 4L RWY ENVIRONMENT, I CALLED EWR TWR TO GET CLARIFICATION OF OUR INSTRUCTIONS. (GND CTL HAD INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT TWR FOR CLRNC TO CROSS 4L, AND WE HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS FROM TWR.) AT THAT TIME TWR TOLD US TO 'STOP RIGHT THERE, HOLD SHORT OF 4L'. WE STOPPED AND ADVISED TWR THAT WE WERE ON THE RWY ENVIRONMENT. THE NOSE OF OUR ACFT WAS EVEN WITH THE RWY EDGE. AT THIS TIME I SAW A WDB ABOUT 3 MILES OUT APCHING 4L. TWR INSTRUCTED THE WDB TO GO AROUND AND CLRED US ACROSS 4L. THE FLT DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ON REFLECTING ON THE INCIDENT, I SEE SEVERAL FACTORS. FIRST, THERE WAS A RWY CHANGE IN PROGRESS AT THE TIME AND SIMULTANEOUSLY EITHER 4L OR 4R, I'M NOT SURE WHICH, WAS BEING REOPENED. SECOND, DUE TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE 'PAD' AREA OF 4L A NONSTANDARD CONFIGN FOR EWR WAS BEING USED, IE, LNDG 4L AND DEPARTING 4R INSTEAD OF THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THIRD, ALSO DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION, NONSTANDARD TAXI PATTERNS WERE IS USE, PROBABLY DISTRACTING THE CTLRS AND CERTAINLY DISTRACTING US. HAD WE NOT BEEN SO BUSY TRYING TO DECIPHER THE NEW TAXI PATTERNS, I MIGHT HAVE SEEN THE WDB EARLIER IN THE HAZE AND QUERIED THE TWR. IT'S BEEN SAID BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN -- ALL PARTIES NEED TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE, HOWEVER MINOR, IN A ROUTINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.