Improvements underway at Pittsburg airport

Infrastructure improvements are underway at the City of Pittsburg Atkinson Municipal Airport, including a partial-parallel taxiway project and a sealcoat and remark project. Funding for these improvements comes from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) and City of Pittsburg.

A $350,000 KDOT grant is going toward the construction of a new parallel taxiway. The development involves building a portion of the parallel taxiway along the main runway. The City is contributing $102,482 toward the project.

The parallel taxiway project corresponds with the City’s 600-foot runway extension, which was completed in 2017. The City plans to extend the parallel taxiway the entire length of the main runway when additional funding becomes available.

A $325,800 grant from the FAA is going toward the City’s sealcoat and remark project. The sealcoat work involves applying a protective coating to the crosswind runway. This coating is applied to extend the life of the runway by preventing water and other elements from penetrating the pavement.

The remarking portion of this project consists of installing new hold-short signs, which will direct planes and prevent collisions on the runway. The City’s portion of the sealcoat and remark project is $36,200.

The Atkinson Municipal Airport is a publicly owned, public-use general aviation facility operated by the City of Pittsburg and is an important part of the transportation system in the region. Located west of US 69 Highway on Atkinson Road, the airport houses six corporate jets, many private fixed-wing aircraft and two helicopters, all stored in City-provided hangars.