Michigan airport honored for runway upgrade
A general aviation airport in Antrim County, Michigan, that recently renovated its runway has earned an award for making the project happen, and wants pilots to try out the smooth new surface on a visit to the area.
Antrim County Airport in Bellaire, Michigan, took on the $1.5 million airport improvement project to rehabilitate 5,000-foot-long Runway 2/20, for which the funding included a mix of sources including a state-discretionary-funds grant of about $558,000.
Doug Johnson, AOPA’s Airport Support Network volunteer at Antrim County Airport, noted that the project earned the airport a 2017 Award of Excellence jointly bestowed by the Asphalt Pavement Association of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Kyle Lewis, AOPA Great Lakes regional manager, credited the airport administration with coordinating the runway upgrade, and he noted that plans are in the works to follow up the runway work with other improvements.
“Airport Manager John Strehl did an excellent job of securing discretionary funding to make this project happen,” he said. “Next up is retrofitting and upgrading airport lighting to LEDs.”
