New and improved runway planned for Jonesboro airport

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - The Jonesboro Municipal Airport could be seeing a better runway soon.

The Jonesboro Airport Commission met on Tuesday, Feb. 21 to discuss the runway lengthening project.

The project will extend the airport’s runway an extra 800 feet, taking it from 6,200 to 7,000 ft.

Funding for the new runway comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation and is set to have a budget of $5 million.

Bob Gibson, the Airport Commission president, explained the project’s biggest struggle is the time to get approval and taking the necessary steps before that happens.

“It just takes a while and when we get it, we’ve got to get all the insuring work, some environmental issues, there are structural issues, and land clearing, things of that nature,” he said.

Justification of the runway lengthening project began in 2014.

Once the commission receives approval, the project should take roughly one year to complete.

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