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Airport runway renovations ahead of schedule

May 22, 2018 | 5:04 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — With nine days to go until work needs to be finished, the city is confident the runway will be ready for landing by the end of the month.

“We’re on schedule, probably even ahead of schedule by a couple of days,” said Carlie Collier, project manager with the City of Medicine Hat.

Collier says workers most recently completed installation of new storm infrastructure and asphalt paving on the main runway has finished.

This week, crews will be working on landscape work near the runway, as well as painting pavement markings and starting concrete pours.

The runway at the airport has been closed since May 10 for significant renovations to the main runway and taxiway. Collier says at times, 70 workers have been on site, working to ensure the runway is finished by the end of the month.

“Everybody’s really pleased with the progress the contractor has made in the last couple of weeks,” she said.

In addition to the work from the contractors, Collier says ideal weather has helped push the work ahead by two days.

“Weather is definitely a factor,” she said. “The schedule was laid out to assume we get some rain days and any we did receive, we were able to work through. That would be the reason why we were able to get ahead of schedule.”

The runway is scheduled to reopen at 10 p.m. on May 31.