$2 Million in Runway Improvements OK'd for Pease

The Executive Council approved more than $2 million worth of repairs and improvements to the runway at Portsmouth International Airport this week.

The council, meeting at the University of New Hampshire in Durham Wednesday, approved two separate authorizations relating to the runways at Pease.

The first called for authorizing the Bureau of Aeronautics to provide $2,043,402.50 in funding to the Pease Development Authority for efforts to restore the airfield pavement and drainage systems that have deteriorated over time, conduct runway pavement repairs and perimeter roadway relocation. The second called for authorizing the Bureau of Aeronautics to provide $73,625 in funding to the PDA to conduct a facility needs analysis at Portsmouth International Airport.


Before voting to approve the expenditures, Executive Councilor Chris Sununu asked state Department of Transportation Commissioner Chris Clement how often the 11,300-foot runway is used.

"It's used every day," Clement said, pointing out that military aircraft including the KC-135 use it regularly, and the new KC-46A tankers will use it as well. "We're looking at the airport from a general aviation perspective and a military one."

He also pointed out that commercial flights will soon be returning to Pease. Allegiant Air will offer Portsmouth to Orlando-Sanford International Airport in Florida beginning this fall.