Kiewit jumps into role as Aspen/Pitkin County Airport construction manager at risk

Kiewit, an international construction firm that will be managing the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport airfield renovation and enabling work in 2026 and 2027, presented to the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners at their work session Tuesday.

Kiewit is the construction manager at risk for the airfield, and will be running all construction on the airfield taxiways, runway, de-icing pad and Owl Creek Road. According to Kelsey Petersen, the Aspen Airport communications specialist, a construction manager at risk has not yet been selected for the terminal modernization, but work is still expected to start on the terminal in 2027 along with the airfield.

Pete Remington, Kiewit’s project manager who was also a part of the 2007 airfield renovation, and Ryan Konen, Kiewit’s construction manager who has worked on airfields and interstates throughout Colorado, made clear the firm’s commitment to efficiency and proper planning, meeting deadlines and serving community interests

“2026 is all about minimizing risk and setting this up on the right foot for next year,” Konen said.

The Kiewit team will also be supported by Sustainability Manager Megan Wood, Jeremiah Hoeflich, the pre-construction manager, and Jason Proskovec, the Rocky Mountain Area manager.

According to Konen, Kiewit specializes in earthmoving, asphalt work and sustainability, all of which they intend to apply to the airfield renovation project. Konen is focused on using “existing materials for the final design,” for the benefit of budget and sustainability, including using fill from earthmoving work to make the berms and using the old asphalt from the runway and Owl Creek relocation in the new asphalt and aggregate base under the runway. 

Kiewit is already beginning  the enabling work phase this summer to set themselves up for the main project in 2027. The firm is also focused on supporting the local community, as well as their staff, during the project. 

Konen noted that, because staff housing in the Roaring Fork Valley is difficult, Kiewit has reached out to hotels and condominiums with the aim of facilitating more long-term rentals for the staff they intend to hire. They also hope to partner with local restaurants to help feed the workforce, especially when they move into what he referred to as a 24/7 work schedule. Kiewit plans to purchase food and housing from these local business and property owners.

Konen highlighted that these efforts to house and feed the 80 to 150 workers will help boost the local economy during the airport shutdown and align with community interests.

“That’s a real positive for the community, for people that want to see short-term rentals in their neighborhoods be rented long-term,” Commissioner Patti Clapper agreed.

Konen added that the new exit from Highway 82 for work trucks, as well as the decision for trucks to turn back onto 82 at the protected Owl Creek traffic light, will help lower congestion for the community and make it safer for drivers to get onto and off Highway 82. 

“[We’re] making sure that we’re protecting the community, as well as our people, and everything we do is very important, it’s built and distilled into our [work],” Konen said.

One of the concerns brought up by commissioners with the upcoming work has been how loud the asphalt removal and batch plant would be, as well as light pollution from night lights. Konen assured commissioners that the sound of Highway 82 is louder than the work being done, except when closer to the work than the highway, and also said that, during enabling work, they expect to only work 12 hours a day Monday through Saturday. Sundays would be used to make up work and help ensure lights will not be needed for any night operations during the pre-construction phase.

According to Konen, because of their focus on planning and quality pre-construction work, the Kiewit team is confident on meeting deadlines — completing work on time, if not before schedule. 

“You convinced us you’ll be done on time,” Commissioner Francie Jacober said.

The presentation did highlight, however, that flight schedules will have already been set, so even if the runway is completed early, no commercial flights will land until the scheduled completion date.