Kootenai County airport readies taxiway reopening, wins $570,000 LED lighting grant and prepares for weekend air show

Kootenai County Airport Director Gaston Patterson told the Kootenai County Board of County Commissioners on June 24 that construction on the airport's Taxiway Charlie has finished and the county plans to reopen the main runway the next day once final striping is complete.

"We plan on opening tomorrow at 7 7PM, once they finish the final striping," Kootenai County Airport Director Gaston Patterson said during the board's airport update. He told the commissioners — Eberline, Duncan and Metari — the taxiway project proceeded ahead of schedule and that the reopening is important for firefighting operations as the county approaches fire season.

The airport director said the project installed a full parallel taxiway along the south side of Runway 6 and that paving and related work went "fantastic," with the FAA able to repair approach lighting while the runway was closed. Patterson said the runway had been closed for "about 15 days" and that the contractor performed well.

Patterson gave an update on air traffic control and community noise mitigation. He said the…