Story ID: 
Oklahoma Airport Finishes Runway Rebuild
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Oklahoma’s Ponca City Regional Airport (KPNC) has completed the reconstruction of its 7,200-foot runway 17/35. 
Word Count: 178
Oklahoma’s Ponca City Regional Airport (KPNC) has completed the reconstruction of its 7,200-foot Runway 17/35. The $8.1 million project, which began last September, involved the milling and replacement of the runway surface and addressed drainage issues by grading off the sides of the runway. Runway lights and guidance signage were replaced as well.

“The construction completed at this airport will ensure the viability of the runway for the next 40-plus years and provide for a great aviation infrastructure asset for the north-central Oklahoma area,” said Tim Gatz, the state’s secretary of transportation, speaking at last week’s ribbon cutting.

Since 2000, KPNC has received more than $26 million in infrastructure funding, and this latest development represents one of the largest single-phase projects performed on a general aviation airport in state history.

“At 7,200 feet long, this runway is the ninth-longest civilian runway in the state,” noted Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma). “It can accommodate just about any aircraft in the business jet fleet, opening the airport and the surrounding region to future economic development.”