Aspen airport to begin accepting proposals for runway, terminal designs

Aspen airport officials on Thursday reported it will begin receiving design proposals to expand its runway and revamp its terminal. 

The runway is set to be shifted 80 feet to the west, increasing the separation from the runway centerline to the taxiway centerline to 400 feet. It will also be widened from 100 feet to 150.

The changes, stemming from Aspen’s Airport Layout Plan passed in November 2024, will align the runway to Federal Aviation Administration standards, according to officials. It will also widen the airport’s wingspan limit from 95 feet to 118.

Airport Director Dan Bartholomew outlined the timeline for the runway design process, noting that proposals are due by April 14.

“We will go through a selection process and candidate interviews in May, and we anticipate kicking off the design for the runway by the end of June,” Bartholomew said.

To manage the workload for both the runway and terminal designs, he said the airport staggered the response deadlines by one week, allowing interested firms the opportunity to bid on both projects.

“Responses are due on April 7,” he said. “We will do interviews in mid-May and be off on the design track in early July, as anticipated.”

While the goal is to break ground on the new runway in late 2026, he emphasized that the timeline remains tentative.

“Actual full closure for the runway and actual construction would be early March through Halloween 2027,” he said. “We are trying to get everything stockpiled and ready the year before, so we can hit the ground running in 2027 and only have a partial or year shutdown.”

Runway closure

Bartholomew reported that the runway will temporarily close this spring for maintenance. 

Work begins at 9 a.m. on May 5, with reopening scheduled for 1 p.m., June 1. The project includes repairs to the runway, taxiway, and de-icing pad, as well as the addition of two new commercial gates.