Runway expansion vote coming
Posted/updated on: July 28, 2026 at 12:38 pm
ATHENS – Athens City Council members are expected to approve two resolutions totaling $3 million next Monday to provide a major financial boost for a new expanded runway at the Athens Municipal Airport.
According to our news partner KETK, this local funding adds to the $14 million allocated by Texas lawmakers in 2025 for airport improvements serving Henderson County. The local funding includes a $1.5 million contribution from the Athens Economic Development Corporation.
Before construction can begin, the project requires several approvals. Athens City Manager Elizabeth Borstad said the next step is to obtain approval for an amendment to the airport’s layout plan.
“Next step is to get approval for an amendment to our airport layout plan through TxDOT and hopefully the FAA,” Borstad said. She added that after these approvals, they will be “moving forward with design and construction of a new runway.”
The overall funding for the airport improvement project now stands at $17 million, combining the $3 million from local sources with the $14 million provided by Texas lawmakers in 2025.
The expanded runway project is expected to be completed no later than August 2029.
