CONGRESSMAN SALAZAR ANNOUNCES GRANT TO ARCHULETA COUNTY AIRPORT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Salazar announced today that the US Department of Transportation has issued a grant in the amount of $5,250,000.00 for the construction of a new taxiway at Stevens Field in Pagosa Spring.

Numerous businesses are dependent on the Archuleta County airport for various services and would potentially relocate if the airport did not exist.  In 2003, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Division, commissioned an extensive study of the economic impacts of Colorado airports. The study presents these impacts in terms of the number of jobs created, the wages and benefits earned and the overall economic activity in the community. The results for the Archuleta County airport for the calendar year 2002 showed that the airport was responsible for supporting 357 jobs with wages in excess of $9 million and total economic activity of more than $23 million annually.  “I am excited to announce this grant to Archuleta County Airport,” Rep Salazar said, “This airport, and rural airports like this are vital to the economies of communities like Pagosa Springs and I will continue to push for additional services like this one,”

Archuleta County Airport recently finished construction of a new runway, the new runway is 8,100 feet long by 100 feet wide and will support aircraft operating at weights up to 70,000 lbs. dual-wheel gear and 59,000 lbs. single-wheel gear.