Weekend Closure Announced for August 19-22, 2021
May 6, 2021 – Blue Grass Airport will resurface its main runway (Runway 4-22) from 6 pm on Thursday, August 19, 2021 through 6 pm on Sunday, August 22, 2021. During this time, the airport will be closed to all fixed-wing commercial and general aviation aircraft. Helicopters will still be able to use the airport, and the terminal building will remain open.
Pavement rehabilitation is a vital process and is completed approximately every 12 to 15 years in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport has enlisted nearly every asphalt resource in the Lexington area and several hundred construction crew members to complete the work associated with this $16.2 million project. To complete the resurfacing, it will require an estimated 21,000 tons of asphalt to pave the 7,000 feet x 150 feet runway
“We appreciate the patience of our community as we focus on rehabilitating our most significant piece of infrastructure,” said Eric Frankl, executive director at Blue Grass Airport. “It is an enormous undertaking for the airport to complete a project of this complexity during such a short timeframe. With the cooperation of our many regional partners participating in this project, we hope to minimize the impact to the airlines, their passengers and the general aviation community.”
During the months before and after the 72-hour period, the airport is conducting preparatory work during the overnight hours when flights are not active. This work includes activities such as surveying and removing in-pavement lighting leading up to the closure, and then grooving, installing in-pavement lighting and placing permanent markings in the months following the closure.
“We are grateful for the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration and our congressional partners who assisted in securing federal funding for this project,” added Frankl. “Airports have a tremendous economic impact for the regions they serve and this project will allow us to maintain the durability of our runway pavement for years to come.”
All air carriers have been notified of the closure and flights for that weekend will be removed from airline reservation systems. Customers will be contacted by their airline to be reaccommodated on alternate flights. The last time the main runway was resurfaced was 15 years ago.