Board of GJ Regional addresses city and county leaders on state of airport

The Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) Authority held a meeting Thursday, discussing the current state of the airport to city and county leaders.

In 2024, GJT saw record passenger numbers, serving over 571,000 throughout the year. Executive Director of GJT Angela Padalecki says the airport set a new goal for this year.

"We've set a goal as an airport to hit that 600,000-passenger mark and we really hope that we'll hit it this year, as we see airlines invest more and more into Grand Junction."

Also highlighted was an impact study conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics, finding GJT generated $817 million in total business revenue.

The airport is also in the process of constructing a new runway that will replace the primary runway. The runway replacement program relies mostly on federal funding. So far, GJT has obtained over $135 million for the project.

"In 2018, we broke ground on our runway replacement program. It's a program to replace the primary runway at the airport. We're expected to finish that program in 2030."

Padalecki talks about the scope of the project and how big it really is.

"Runways are expensive, they're huge. The service area alone is the equivalent of adding two lanes to I-70 from Horizon Drive to the Utah border."

The runway replacement program allows the airport to remain open with very little operational impact during construction that happens outside the fence of the runway that's used currently.

WesternSlopeNow will provide more updates on the runway's construction as it develops.