DISTRIBUTION DATE: August 16, 2007      FOR RELEASE UPON RECEIPT

TIA TO CLOSE RUNWAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS

      The main runway at Tucson International Airport, 11L-29R, will be closed from September 4 until September 30 for reconstruction and maintenance. Arriving and departing commercial and general aviation flights will use the crosswind runway, 3-21, or the parallel runway, 11R-29L. During this period, the Arizona Air National Guard 162nd Fighter Wing, which has F-16 aircraft based at TIA, will deploy 30 of the F-16 Fighting Falcons to Davis Monthan Air Force Base.

      The project includes re-grooving the runway and high speed exit taxiway surfaces for skid resistance, re-striping runway markings, re-sealing the joints on the east and west 1,000’ concrete runway ends and portions of taxiway A15. Other maintenance to airfield support facilities will be done to take full advantage of the closure. This is part II of improvements to the runway begun in September 2006.

      The $460,500 project is being funded by Federal Aviation Administration and Arizona Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division grants, the Arizona Air National Guard, and the Tucson Airport Authority. The project was designed by Kimley-Horn and Associates. The construction contract has been awarded to the Granite Construction Company.

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