Monthlong closure planned for Bellingham airport runway repair project
The Bellingham International Airport’s (BLI) only runway is expected to close to air traffic for 30 days in the summer of 2027 while crews work to repair it.
Port of Bellingham Commissioners approved the monthlong closure unanimously at their Feb. 17 meeting. The goal is to incorporate additional construction activities into the single closure window to prevent more runway closures in the coming years, according to port staff.
“No one wants to be in a situation where we have to close a runway,” Port Commissioner Michael Shepard said during the meeting. “Being an airport with only one runway, that means we have to close air service at our airport.”
Called the Runway Rehabilitation Project, the closure also will allow for:
- Construction of runway blast pads, which are designed to protect the runway from damage caused by aircraft exhaust during takeoff.
- Construction of runway shoulders.
- Reconfiguration of three taxiways to improve takeoff and landing, as well as reduce the risk of collisions.
- Replacement of incandescent taxiway lights with LED alternatives.
“We looked at it from a holistic view,” BLI Director of Aviation Matt Rodriguez said. “If we’re going to close the runway for one project, what other projects can we chew off and throw into this overall closure, and then mitigate the impact of any additional closures from the years on out? Originally we had multiple runway closures being scheduled just because of the phasing of the work.”
While the runway will close, the airport itself is expected to remain open, Rodriguez told commissioners. Helicopter operations will not be impacted, including the medical transport service Life Flight.
The closure is expected to result in a $385,000 revenue loss to the airport, according to Rodriguez.
He said staff were still investigating the potential financial impacts of this closure on airlines, tenants, concessionaires and airport employees. But he confirmed no port staff would be furloughed or expected to work without pay.
“If we had two runways, we’d be having a very different conversation here,” Commissioner Shepard said. “But with one runway we just have limited options when something is a required repair.”
The repairs are mandated by the FAA and are expected to cost between $25 million and $30 million, according to Rodriguez. The port already has $23.5 million earmarked for the project, from discretionary and airport infrastructure grant funding from the FAA.
“I’m very glad to see that we’re going to do this all in one shot. I don’t think spreading it out over time would be good for the airport or good for anybody,” Port Commissioner Bobby Briscoe said. “I think for the good of the airport and the good of the people of Whatcom County, we need to do it in one, just as it’s figured.”
Port of Bellingham Interim Executive Director Tiffany DeSimone said staff is brainstorming ways to “activate” the airport during the closure and planned to come forward with ideas soon.
“In a nutshell, it’s maximizing the amount of funding that we can receive for the maximum amount of projects and minimizing the closures. The five-year plan as it currently sat had closures every other year, and so we are trying to mitigate that,” DeSimone said.
The project is scheduled to be advertised for bid on March 1.
This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 5:20 AM.
