In 2015, Council adopted the Airport Master Plan, which identified a list of Capital Improvement Projects at the Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field.  Runway 9/27 is the airport's primary runway that receives 95% of all aircraft traffic and has received minor asphalt repairs since the last mill and overlay in 2010.  This project will replace the runway's High Intensity Runway Edge Lights with state-of-the-art LED lights, crack and fog seal the asphalt, install new runway markings, and relocate a windsock outside the Runway Safety Area in order to meet Federal Aviation Administration safety standards. 

In 2019, airport staff met with JUB Engineering, Inc. to determine a scope of work and any impacts to aircraft operations during the proposed construction in 2020.  During these initial discussions, staff provided the airline partners and tenants with notice that the primary runway would be closed during a designated time in August 2020 as required by the Federal Aviation Administration to perform the required construction activities.  Initial discussions on how to safely implement construction activities with minimizing impacts to airline passengers requires a six day runway closure beginning August 24^th through August 29^th, 2020.  During this time frame, airlines will not be able to service the community and have since cancelled all flights.

Funding for this project will be provided in the form of a grant administered by the Federal Aviation Administration through the Airport Improvement Program. Given the recent passage of the CARES Act, this grant will be funded 100% by the federal government.