July 01, 2022

Wyden, Merkley: More than $1.2 Million to Airports in Roseburg and North Bend for Vital Improvements

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that Roseburg Regional Airport and Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend will receive more than $1.2 million combined from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for improvements and expansions.

“Oregonians and small businesses in rural parts of the state count on reliable air service and modern infrastructure to send their products and generate local jobs,” Wyden said. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I am proud to have supported helps small airports like the ones in North Bend and Roseburg maintain and expand their infrastructure in order to support Oregon’s economic growth in a global market. And I’ll keep fighting for airports throughout our state to secure their fair share of federal resources so essential to their success.”

“Regional airports connect rural communities to economic opportunities across the state and beyond,” Merkley said. “This funding for airports in Roseburg and North Bend will help to improve the critical infrastructure that we rely on when flying – whether transporting people or cargo. These improvements will not only support the airports, but local economies and Oregon as a whole.” 

This Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend will receive more than $1 million for a project that updates the existing northwest apron pavement that has reached the end of its useful life and adds another southwest apron to accommodate increased local use.

“The Southwest Oregon Regional Airport is eager to put these funds to use toward a new aircraft apron that will accommodate the increase in airport users, that the Oregon Coast is experiencing. Additionally this will provide a connectivity to our soon to be constructed, intermodal Air Cargo Facility,” said Theresa Cook, Executive Director of Coos County Airport District.

Roseburg Airport will receive $200,000 to reconfigure its Taxiway A to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design standards.

“We are so appreciative of this grant for making the design possible and thank the Oregon delegation and FAA for making this safety improvement a reality,” said Roseburg City Manager Nikki Messenger. “We have been looking forward to extending the taxiway to match the runway length for over a decade and this will help us make that happen.”