Charlotte County Airport Authority Reopens Runway 15-33
The Charlotte County Airport Authority signified the reopening of Runway 15-33 with a ribbon cutting Oct. 9. Airport authority commissioners were joined by airport management, congressional staff, lead engineering consultants and contractors.
In addition to a 593-foot extension that increased the runway length to 6,281 feet, the rehabilitation included resurfacing, grooving, painting and adding LED sustainable lighting. Blast pads were added at each end of the runway, and Taxiways E, A and D were realigned to be in compliance with FAA design standards.
Runway 15-33 was closed for nearly a year while undergoing construction. In the months ahead, all three runways will remain open while Runway 4-22 enters the design phase for its rehabilitation. In September, commercial airline traffic is anticipated to shift solely to Runway 15-33 while Runway 4-22 undergoes its rehabilitation.
“This project has been quite an endeavor, requiring extensive coordination of dozens of parties from funding and design to construction,” said PGD’s CEO James W. Parish. “I want to thank the team that worked together to make it all happen, and I am thrilled to be able to open it up to the General Aviation community that has been eagerly awaiting this moment.”
The $12-million project was funded from the following sources; approximately $4.7 million in FAA funding, $3.7 million in FDOT funding, and $3.7 million from Passenger Facility Charges. The runway project is one of several projects outlined in the PGD Master Plan’s short-term capital improvement program.
Project partners include:
- Kimley-Horn provided design services to complete the Runway 15-33 project, and has also been retained to design the rehabilitation of Runway 4-22.
- Southwest Engineering & Design consulted on the stormwater management plan.
- EG Solutions was retained to provide consulting services for the wetland mitigation portions of the project.
- Ajax Paving Industries of Florida, LLC was the primary construction contractor.
Last month the airport authority broke ground on the PGD AviEx, the runway-adjacent area planned to become a hub for general aviation (GA) activities to flourish, as well as a prime spot for onsite flight schools, avionics and aircraft maintenance services, and related training programs to expand.
