The Grand Junction Regional Airport was awarded a $38 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program to fund the first phase of pavement construction for a new primary runway, the airport said in a news release.

With this grant, the airport has been awarded more than $53 million in AIP grant funding in 2025 to support the runway-replacement project.

“This $38 million grant is a major investment in Western Colorado’s future,” Third Congressional District Rep. Jeff Hurd said. “With $53 million in total federal Airport Improvement Program funding this year, we are modernizing the runway to improve safety, support wildfire response and drive long-term economic growth.

“As Colorado’s only member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I’m proud to work with the FAA to deliver the resources Grand Junction Airport needs to serve our region for decades to come.”

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado added, “The FAA investment is a big win for the region. It supports local jobs, strengthens the economy and keeps the runway project moving forward. We’re proud to partner with the FAA and local leaders to keep Colorado flying.”

The runway project replaces the aging primary runway with a new runway 600 feet north and 1,000 feet west of the existing runway. The geometry will stay the same at 10,500 feet long and 150 feet wide.

By building a new runway instead of replacing the runway in its current location, construction can be completed with minimal disruption to operations, and the new runway will have 1,000 feet of separation from the smaller, secondary runway, increasing capacity and enhancing safety.

The project broke ground in 2018 with a goal of opening the new runway in 2030. The runway is on track to open a year ahead of schedule in 2029. Sub-base construction is ongoing, and paving is expected to start in 2026.

The airport has been awarded nearly $200 million in grants since 2018, mostly for the runway-replacement project.

“This grant award reflects the ongoing effort and collaboration between the airport’s project team and the FAA to ensure this project is planned and completed as efficiently as possible,” said Linde Marshall, chair of the Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority Board of Commissioners. “We are grateful to our FAA partners for helping us secure this funding and accelerate the project schedule, reducing costs and building momentum as the project approaches completion.”

AIP grants typically fund 90 percent of eligible project costs at airports such as Grand Junction Regional Airport. The 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act set AIP funding levels at 95 percent for grants awarded in 2025 and 2026 to non-hub airports like Grand Junction. With a match of only 5 percent instead of 10 percent on 2025 grants, the airport will save more than $2.5 million on this portion of the project.

“I’m amazed by the amount,” said Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis, who also is a Grand Junction Regional Airport commissioner. “What Angela and the team have accomplished over the past few years is nothing short of remarkable. Mesa County is grateful for the trust the FAA has placed in GJT.”

Grand Junction Mayor and Grand Junction Regional Airport Commissioner Cody Kennedy called the airport an economic pillar in the community and added, “The airport is an important partner in economic development efforts in Grand Junction and the broader region. The new runway will allow the airport to continue to serve the region’s aviation needs for the next 50 years.”