May 31 – The runway at Butler County Regional Airport-Hogan Field will be closed for six weeks beginning next week, June 3, for a renovation project, county officials said.
It’s the first time in more than a quarter century that the airport — located in Hamilton on Airport Drive — has resurfaced, said David Fehr, Butler County development director.
The $3.4 million project is being funded 90 percent by a grant from the FAA, plus a five percent grant from the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division. In addition, the county will pay the remaining five percent, or about $172,000, according to Fehr.
“We’ve repaired it and tried to keep it in good condition, but after about 26 years it’s just time for a repaving,” Fehr said. The new asphalt is stripped again, but no extra length is added. “I know it’s an inconvenience, but it’s time.”
The airport’s runway will remain closed until July 12.
The airport is just minutes from Hamilton, Fairfield, West Chester, I-75 and the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton areas, officials said on the county’s website. It serves as a link between Butler County’s business community and major destinations, including Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh.
Josh Clayton is manager of the Butler County Regional Airport.
He said AirCare will still operate helicopter medical services from the airport during the work.
Some repair facilities at the airport will continue operations, but “not many others” will be open during the runway work.
Nearly 55,000 flights a year are logged to and from the airport, Clayton said.
“We have quite a bit of traffic in and out,” he said, noting that this includes general aviation and business jets that “reflect the growth of this area.”
Clayton also noted that the 5% local share for the project does not come from the general public, but rather comes from self-sustaining funds through fuel sales and land leases.
Hogan Field offers a runway 5,000 feet long and 100 feet wide with a full-length parallel taxiway, T-hangars, and corporate and executive hangars. It also provides an instrument landing system, an on-site weather station and a clearance delivery frequency.
