May 12, 2025 3:20 a.m.

A $2.5 million project to extend a key taxiway at the Roseburg Regional Airport is underway.

A city release said the work is making a dream of airport expansion and safety improvement a reality.

The useable part of the runway is temporarily shortened with a “reduced declared distance” and will return to its normal useable length when the project is completed.

About 300 feet of sidewalk and bike lanes along Northwest Aviation Drive are temporarily closed, but both roadway lanes will remain open throughout the project, except for brief intermittent closures during concrete pouring.

The project will reconfigure Taxiway A and extend the taxiway north about 400 feet to match the length of a runway that was extended in 2012 and to meet Federal Aviation Administration design standards so planes no longer need to “back-taxi” on the runway.

Public Works Director Ryan Herinckx said, “This extension was designed with the runway extension in 2011, but because of lack of funding, it was not constructed at that time”. Herinckx said, “This will eliminate a major safety issue with planes back-taxiing on the runway”.

The release said the city won nearly $2.3 million in FAA grants and a Connect Oregon grant for just over $172,000 from the Oregon Department of Transportation. The city contributed over $82,000 in matching funds from the Airport Capital Improvement Fund.

The project will include the construction of an extended taxiway connector A-1; removal of existing taxiway connector A-2; renaming five taxiway connectors; construction of a retaining wall and jet-blast fence; pavement underdrain installation; markings and taxiway lighting and signage. A small amount of fencing will be replaced as part of this project.

Contractor Knife River Materials began work on April 14th. The airport project is expected to be completed by Sunday, July 27th.