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Walden airport reopens after $5.7 million runway resurfacing
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Summary
Walden Jackson County Airport reopened after months of work to install 5,900 feet of new runway. The $5,700,000 project was completed without federal funds through a partnership of the Colorado Division of Aeronautics, the Department of Local Affairs and Jackson County.
Walden Jackson County Airport reopened after months of construction that installed 5,900 feet of new runway and cost about $5,700,000, speakers at the ceremony said.
A presenter said the community had not seen a significant runway improvement in more than 40 years, calling it “one of those assets you don't realize you don't have till you can't use it anymore.” The presenter added that state and local partners worked together to repave the runway.
Jim Reiser, head of emergency medical services in the area, said the airport is frequently used for life-or-death medical flights. “I'm Jim Reiser, head of EMS here, and we utilize the airport quite often during the year. Every time we use it, it's for life and death,” he said.
Organizers and officials emphasized the airport's broader role in public safety and wildfire response. “More impactful for our community is the services it provides, especially in emergency medical services. But then even in a broader scale, this is a fantastic airport for wildfire protection,” one speaker said.
Unlike many airport projects, this resurfacing was completed without federal funding. According to a presenter, the work was made possible through a partnership among the Colorado Division of Aeronautics, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs and Jackson County, with engineering support from Lochner and a local match from the Department of Local Affairs.
A representative of the Department of Local Affairs said the agency exists “to strengthen local governments,” and described DOLA's contribution as a much-needed match that made the project possible.
Organizers said about 98–99% of the work was finished at the ceremony and that the resurfaced runway will serve the North Park community for decades. “With the new runway open, the Walden Jackson County Airport is ready to serve for decades to come, keeping Colorado's high country communities connected, safe, and ready to support the citizens and visitors of North Park, Colorado,” a presenter said.
Speakers noted the project supported emergency medical transport and firefighting operations and said the resurfaced runway addresses a long-standing infrastructure need in one of Colorado's most remote communities.
