Grand Forks Air Force Base Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony For New $20 Million Resurfaced Runway

(KNOX) – The Grand Forks Air Force Base held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new $20 million resurfaced runway.

The construction of the new runway was finished in September, and it will replace the previous runway that was built in 2005. This new runway is projected to last at least 20 years, and it could easily end up lasting a lot longer. The last runway was only supposed to last up to 10 years when it was first built in 2005, but it lasted for 21 years as crack seals were being managed. The groove edges of the old runway started to become rounded. This affected aircrafts’ ability to brake quickly when the runway was wet.

The Air Force and private national defense contractors like Northrop Grumman and General Atomics use the runway. Both of these contractors have offices at the GrandSky aviation park.

U.S. Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer were in attendance, as were airmen who are with the 319th Reconnaissance Wing. Hoeven serves on the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee and was able to help secure the funding for the runway for Fiscal Year 2025. His office says that because the project was prioritized, it allowed the Air Force to finish construction within one year of appropriation.