Grand Forks County approves closure of section lines to accommodate airport runway extension

A petition from the Grand Forks International Airport Authority to close portions of public section lines west of the airport was approved by the Grand Forks County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 17, 2024. The board acted after a presentation by Tim Dittis, attorney for the airport authority, who said the closures are necessary to meet FAA-mandated safety zones created by a recent crosswind-runway extension.

Dittis told the commission the airport recently completed “a roughly 2,500 foot westerly extension” of the crosswind runway and acquired adjacent property so County Road 5 could be relocated west to create a larger runway protection zone, obstacle-free zone and runway safety area. He said federal regulations require exclusive control of the areas adjacent to the runway and that closing the specified section lines would allow the…