Pavement work will focus on taxiway and de-ice pad

PITKIN COUNTY, COLO. (Feb. 2, 2023) – The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport will be closed from May 10 through May 24, 2023 for airfield pavement maintenance, which is part of the facility’s Federal Grant Assurance obligations.

The work will focus on the taxiway and de-ice pad and is being done during a two-week offseason period to avoid impacts during the busy summer months. The airport originally had anticipated avoiding a closure because the designs for the repairs divided the work into four phases and mostly happened at night during the airport’s curfew hours. However, a local ordinance prevents the acquisition of pavement materials after 10 PM, so such night work was not possible. The airport also considered keeping the airport open during the repairs, which would have required a phased construction approach spanning two months. However, performing all work during operational hours would have required aircraft to use portions of the runway as a taxiway, significantly reducing the facility’s operational capacity, and resulting in the potential for significant flight delays and cancellations during this period.

It was determined the best course of action was the spring closure (May 10 through May 24, 2023) to avoid major impacts in the summer months and ensure the airport is operational over Memorial Day weekend, the Fourth of July, and when other summer events are held.

This facility closure will allow for the completion of other projects, including the installation of a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) navigational aid, which will replace an older, less reliable and less energy efficient unit, and also provide an opportunity to replace worn runway markings.

As a re-cap, the following is the schedule for this project:

May 10th – May 24th, 2023 – Airport Closure for airfield pavement maintenance

Media contact: Dan Bartholomew, Airport Director
dan.bartholomew@aspenairport.com, (970) 975-3162