Coweta County approves $4 million runway rehab at Newnan–Coweta County Airport with $1 million local match

Coweta County commissioners voted June 3 to approve a Georgia Department of Transportation contract to rehabilitate Runway 15‑33 at the Newnan–Coweta County Airport and to appropriate a $1 million local match. Staff said the total project is estimated at $4,000,000, with a $3,000,000 GDOT contribution and a required 25 percent local match of $1,000,000.

Airport authority representatives told the board the runway’s last overlay was about 18 years ago and that the planned overlay will extend the pavement’s useful life. "Essentially, what is taking place is the useful life of asphalt for the runway itself is generally around 20 years," the airport authority chairman said. Preliminary data, he added, suggests the work could increase the runway’s weight‑bearing capacity by about 20 percent.

Staff framed the project as a maintenance investment to preserve safety and extend service life rather than a capacity expansion. The airport manager noted that improving weight‑bearing capacity may ease operational limits for corporate and transient aircraft and reduce concerns operators raise about payload and fuel capacity.

The board voted unanimously to approve the contract and the local appropriation. No alternative funding source was specified during the meeting; staff recommended and the board approved the appropriation as presented. The motion passed without recorded opposition.

Next steps include finalizing the contract with GDOT and coordinating construction timing with airport operations; staff and airport representatives did not provide a specific construction start date at the meeting.