Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Airport Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pitkin County outlines April spring airfield closure, Elk long‑term lot to be shuttered during work
Summary
Pitkin County airport staff told commissioners the airfield will undergo a two‑phase maintenance closure starting April 23, with the Elk long‑term parking lot closed for the duration. Staff said outreach, towing enforcement, and temporary parking changes are planned as contractors repair runway pavement and de‑icing drains.
Pitkin County airport director Diane Jackson told the Board of County Commissioners at a March 24 work session that the airport will begin a spring closure on April 23, with the first flights able to depart at 9:00 a.m., and will reopen May 21 at 7:00 p.m. Jackson said a second, overnight phase of work is planned July 6–20 for grooving and permanent markings.
Jackson said the project will focus on a localized pavement rehabilitation at the threshold of runway 33, repair of the de‑ice trench drain and improvements to the Elk long‑term parking lot, which county staff will close for the duration of construction. "So, our spring closure starts April 23rd at 900 a.m., which means the first flights can go out… reopening May 21st at 7 p.m.," Jackson said.
The county will step up communications and enforcement for the Elk lot, Jackson said, including an orange website banner, PitCo alerts, newsletter posts, social media, signage at the lot and towing of cars that exceed the county’s 30‑day maximum stay. Jackson also said the Elk improvements include clarifying entry and exit circulation, added lighting (portable fixtures to be reused), restriping and an additional 20 parking spaces after reconfiguration.
Jackson described the runway scope as phased: isolated runway milling and repaving to remove damaged pavement, concrete repair in a trench drain at the de‑ice apron (a longer‑lead, cure‑time item), temporary paint and later grooving. She said some bid items were removed to bring bids closer to the county’s budget after contractor responses exceeded engineer estimates: "The bids came back extremely high… it came in over double what the engineer's estimate was," Jackson said.
Why it matters: Pitkin County will shoulder much of the pavement work locally, Jackson said, because recent FAA grants are focused on shifting runway alignment and design rather than maintenance. The Elk lot closure affects employees and travelers who commonly use long‑term parking in spring; staff said the tighter enforcement and outreach are intended to clear the lot promptly so work can proceed.
What’s next: Commissioners and staff agreed to continue outreach; Jackson said air carriers were notified months ago and that the county has filed necessary permits for the overnight grooving work. The board will see a related grant item the following day.
