$9 million renovation plan for New Mexico’s Dona Ana County International Jetport

Oct 5, 2019: New Mexico’s Dona Ana County International Jetport will implement $9 million in renovations on its runway with an aim to attract cargo carriers.

The current runway is only slated to have a capacity of 20,000 pounds, about a quarter of what these larger planes weigh. The 160 planes that are housed at the airport have put significant wear and tear on the 36-year-old runway. Once the runway is rebuilt it would be able to handle planes that way 96,000 pounds.

This would also open up the runway to smaller cargo planes that could take advantage of companies who only use trucks for shipping. The airport has done economic studies over the past five years to show the repairs and upgrades are needed. The $9 million cost is being split almost 50/50 between the Federal Aviation Administration and the state of New Mexico.

The repairs have already begun with paint being stripped from the current runway by using high-pressure water trucks. Excavation and construction are expected to start in mid-October.