ROGERS -- Rogers Executive Airport is set to close for 10 days for a $6.6 million project for runway, lighting and drainage improvement.
David Krutsch, airport manager, said the work is scheduled for June 23 through July 3, with the caveat the weather could alter the timeline.
"Right before and right after the July 4 holiday is the time of the year with less weather impact," Krutsch said. "We selected this target date with that in mind."
Krutsch said the airport is doing some major pavement renovation, something airports must do periodically. He said a project of this scope should give the runway a life of another 15 to 20 years before another major overhaul is needed. The drainage improvement includes runway grooving to improve traction and installing some drainage structures. The runway lighting infrastructure will be replaced.
Gary Jackson, a member of the Rogers Airport Commission, said the aviation community knows about the closing, and he echoed Krutsch's concern about the weather.
"We've made all the arrangements we can to communicate with the people who use the airport," Jackson said. "As far as how to measure the impact, I guess we'll know afterward. They are going to be working 24 hours a day for that entire period. They're going to have three crews doing the work. The unknown is the weather, but the chances of having good weather now are about as good as we get."
Jackson said private aircraft using the airport will either remain during the construction or arrange to operate from other airports.
"They're going to be at Springdale or at XNA," Jackson said. "We're blessed with several airports nearby that can handle the private sector aircraft."
Kelly Johnson, airport manager at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, said previous closings at Rogers and other Northwest Arkansas airports haven't been disruptive.
"Rogers previously has overlaid their runway," Johnson said. "We coordinate with the fixed-base operator, and they'll move their planes over here. It's mostly corporate people coming in to do business. The LPGA tournament is during that time, but a lot of those folks come in on commercial airplanes. So we usually see some increase in traffic, but it shouldn't be anything that we can't handle. We welcome everyone."
NW News on 06/12/2017