These Redding airport roads got $5 million facelift in time for Thanksgiving travel

People visiting the Redding Regional Airport this autumn will have a smooth drive to the passenger drop-off.

The land side of the airport, including the front entrance road, is getting a $5 million overhaul, which includes fresh paving, and replacement of diseased trees near the entrance and parking area.

The rain caused a delay, but the airport is on track to finish the street paving portion of the project by Oct. 14, two weeks earlier than its original deadline, said Airport Manager Jim Wadleigh.

"Painting and sidewalk work will continue for another week and a half after that," he said.

Work is nearly done on repairing and repaving access roads, including the east side of the intersection at Knighton Road and Airport Road, Woodrum Circle and Municipal Boulevard, Wadleigh said.

Crews will wrap up work on Flight Avenue and paint lane stripes on all the roads over the next three to four weeks, he said.

By the time travelers show up for their holiday flights in November, the first phase of the landscaping part of the airport's facelift will be finished, too. 

That will include replacing bug-infested trees with new healthy ones, Wadleigh said. New trees will dot the entrance area: "We are looking into drought-tolerant trees so we're not having to use a lot of water."

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Federal Aviation Administration grants totaling $4.9 million covered most of the land side project's $5 million price tag, Wadleigh said. The other $100,000 came from the city's Public Works Department.

More projects are planned for the air side of the airport in 2024 and 2025, including restoring and upgrading the runways. That will cost an estimated $16 million, funded by an FAA Airport Improvement Program grant and the city's grant-matching funds. For information on the airport's Runway Rehabilitation project go to bit.ly/3dHzJqj.

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Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and entertainment stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.