Runway Reconstruction Project in Detroit Lakes Given General Aviation Project of the Year Award

Photo via Hough Inc.

DETROIT LAKES (KDLM) – An airport project in Detroit Lakes has won a prestigious award from the Minnesota Council of Airports.

The City of Detroit Lakes, Becker County, Mead & Hunt and Hough, Inc. were given the General Aviation Project of the Year Award recently at the Minnesota Airports Conference for the runway reconstruction project and addition of a parallel runway.

“We are so thankful for the hard work of all of our employees and subcontractors who worked over three phases and 5 years to complete the parallel taxiway extension and runway reconstruction,” Hough Inc. said in a Facebook post.

The $25 million project moved the runway away from Highway 10 and the railway corridor and added 700 feet to its length while also widening it. Additionally a full parallel taxiway eliminates aircraft taxiing on the runway.

“It was the plan back in the late ’70s and early ’80s to extend the runway,” said Mark Hagen, a member of the Detroit Lakes Airport commission during the ribbon cutting ceremony in August. “But that got held up by a number of things: financing, zoning, etc. In 2000, we really started seriously looking at expanding this project.”

Those involved in the project believe it will help increase traffic at the airport, which in turn will bring additional business opportunities and tourism dollars.