Safety, quieter skies, cleaner air
Airport Modernization
public engagement
Upcoming Open House
Thursday, March 5 | Hoffmann Hotel, 30 Kodiak Drive, Basalt Time: 4-7 p.m.
The ASE Modernization effort is built on the foundation of collaboration. We invite residents, visitors, and stakeholders to take part in shaping the future of the airport. This page will be regularly updated with news, upcoming events, and ways to get involved—please check back often to stay informed and connected to the process.
Runway Shift and Reconstruction Timeline
Enabling work for the runway shift and reconstruction will begin during Summer 2026, including initial staging work for shifting Owl Creek Road and the bike path, as well as some utility work. The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport will shut down for a one-season closure for runway safety improvements starting in April 2027 and continuing through November 2027.
Exact dates will be provided once the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) is hired, permitting is completed and the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners approve nighttime and weekend work.
There are no disruptions to service planned during the construction of the new terminal.
Reflecting the Common Ground Recommendations
The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) Modernization Project is one of the most significant community initiatives in our region’s history. With decades of conversation and planning leading to this moment, we are committed to ensuring that every step forward reflects the values and priorities of our community.
Following voter approval in November 2024, the ASE Modernization Program moved into the design phase. The project’s centerpiece is a new passenger terminal to better serve travelers, locals and airport staff. Through the end of 2026, a new terminal will be designed to reflect the community-led and values-driven “Common Ground Recommendations” adopted by the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) in December 2020.
Key Project Milestones
Project Design Progress
- Design teams are in place for the airport modernization: ZGF for the terminal and Kimley-Horn for the runway.
- Design work is underway and expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
Community Involvement
- Terminal Design and Multi-Modal Connectivity Task Forces were formed to bring a community perspective into the design process, guided by the Common Ground Recommendations (CGRs).
- Three community open houses were held, along with two community surveys.
Funding & Next Steps
- The FAA committed funding for runway improvements over the next three years, with approximately $40 million anticipated in the first year.
- An application was submitted for approximately $15 million in terminal funding through the FAA’s Airport Terminals Program (ATP).
- Voters approved Ballot Issue 1A, authorizing bond funding to support terminal and airfield improvements.
- Concept 2+ was selected to move forward into Schematic Design after community input and approval by the AAB and BOCC.
- In January 2026, the BOCC unanimously approved the ASE Concept and Programming Phase Summary Book.
Get Involved
Your voice ensures the airport of the future reflects our shared values, from sustainability and safety to connectivity and community character. This is not just a project about an airport terminal; it’s about building an asset that will serve generations to come.
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- FAQs Get the project facts and answers to frequently asked questions
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Project Background
What is modernization?
The core goals of the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport Modernization Project are to enhance safety, reduce noise impacts, and lower emissions. Achieving these goals requires updating our facilities and system to keep pace with a changing world.
While modernization started with a community visioning process, it must also become part of an Airport Layout Plan (ALP), a technical document used by the Federal Aviation Administration to program funding for the airport. In 2020, the Pitkin County Commissioners directed the airport to update its existing ALP to include community goals and aspirations.
Project Background
Why do we need modernization?
While airports across the globe have implemented innovations to critical infrastructure like passenger terminals, Aspen’s terminal hasn’t been renovated in almost 40 years. Not only has the community expressed a desire for updates, the FAA is requiring the airport to update the airfield to comply with safety standards.
Project Background
What led up to modernization?
Contemporary modernization efforts kicked off in 2019 and 2020 when a community-led process to improve the airport began in conjunction with stipulations from the Federal Aviation Administration to meet safety standards. Since opening in 1946, ASE has prioritized innovation. The terminal, constructed in 1976, was the first commercial building in the country to use passive solar heating. ASE has always been driven by a spirit of modernization and today’s plans aim to continue to improve the airport for the traveling public of the future.