As Glacier Park International Airport closes in on the second week of runway repairs, Director Rob Ratkowski said construction is progressing smoothly and remains on track.  

Starting July 6, the Flathead Valley transit hub is closing its primary runway for repairs each week from 6 p.m. Monday to 10 a.m. Friday. The runway reopens each weekend to accommodate peak travel demand and is expected to return to normal operations on July 31.   

The runway opened earlier than scheduled on July 10 following 88 hours of nonstop work by more than 150 workers, according to airport officials.  

Sixteen hours into the second week of closure, Ratkowski said work is proceeding as planned.   

“We’re seeing good production and efficiency in this phase so far,” he said. “No cause for concern at the moment.” 

Rain on Tuesday paused work for about three hours, but Ratkowski said crews continued to make progress. He said it is too early to know whether the airport will reopen ahead of schedule this week, through construction progress is being tracked hourly.  

From his office on the airport’s third floor, Ratkowski observed the mass of vehicles spanning the runway on the cloudy morning this week. The asphalt was last resurfaced 16 years ago and has started showing visible signs of stress and age, precipitating the project. 

He pointed to a milling machine, its long conveyor extending from the front like an elephant’s trunk. The machine crawled down the runway, ripping up the old pavement as it went.   

After the milling machine removes the old pavement, a belly dump trailer lays down a line of fresh asphalt. A shuttle buggy transfers the material to a paver, which spreads and smooths it across the runway. Rollers complete the conga line of machinery, compacting the asphalt.   

While paving occurs, the runway is also getting outfitted with new lights and wiring, according to Ratkowski.  

Farther north, excavators were clawing at dirt as crews reconfigure the trio of taxiways intersecting the main runway. Two new taxiways will be realigned to adhere to federal guidelines.  

The crosswind runway remains open for cargo, medical, private, charter and flight-training operations. It will stay operational until the fourth week of the project, when the portion where it intersects the main runway is scheduled for repaving, according to Ratkowski.  

Ratkowski urged travelers passing through the airport this month to arrive at least two hours before their flight. He said that nearly every flight was virtually full during the airport’s first weekend back in operation.  

During a typical summer weekend, about 90% of available airline seats were filled. Last weekend, that figure climbed to nearly 100%, Ratkowski said.  

After the new pavement cures for 30 days over August, the runway will be closed nightly in September for grooving. Thousands of grooves will be etched into the runway to shed water and snow.  

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support. 

    Contractors work on a new taxiway between runways as part of a runway rehabilitation project at Glacier Park International Airport on Tuesday, July 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Contractors repave a section of runway after it is milled as part of a runway rehabilitation project at Glacier Park International Airport on Tuesday, July 14. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider