The Waukesha County Airport will close one of its runways for an $11 million renovation and repaving beginning on Saturday.
The project is funded almost entirely by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program, which provides grants for the planning and development of public-use airports that are part of the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Waukesha County will contribute about 5 percent of project costs.
The runway is scheduled to reopen in August. During construction, one runway will remain open at the airport, but some air traffic will be diverted.
“The larger corporate jet traffic will be relocating to airports like Milwaukee metro, Madison, Rockford, Ill.,” said Kurt Stanich, Waukesha County airport manager.
The airport will simultaneously make operational improvements and mechanical upgrades to its terminal building and control tower, which will be funded by Waukesha County and cost about $610,000. Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and other functionality improvements will be made.
“While the traffic is reduced, we want to take advantage of that time to make some updates,” Stanich said.
A $700,000 project that would have expanded the south and west terminal ramps that was originally scheduled to occur during the renovation has been postponed.
The Waukesha County Airport is the busiest general aviation airport in Wisconsin. It hosted 41,000 takeoffs and landings last year, and more than 50 businesses regularly use the airport for corporate travel. Severe winter weather over the past several years has resulted in accelerated deterioration of the runway pavement, so full reconstruction is required to maintain FAA safety standards.
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Friday for the projects.
