Contractors have been working around the clock at Bathurst Airport to ensure work on the main runway is completed in the six-week time frame set for the job.
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This week the profiling of the new surface will be completed and sealing will begin as part of a $3 million project that will ensure the future of the busy regional airport.
It is planned that the regular REX daily service to and from Sydney will resume from February 15.
Mayor Gary Rush said the project was on schedule.
He said it was a significant upgrade for Bathurst.
“This is a very complex job where many factors are involved, as parts of the airport remain operational during the construction work,” he said.
“I commend council staff and the contractors on the work they have done so far in keeping this upgrade on track.
“It is regrettable that flights in and out of Bathurst have had to be paused for this six-week period and we thank commuters for their patience.
“The rehabilitation will ensure council will be able to continue to service air travel needs for our residents and businesses well into the future,” Cr Rush said.
The 1.7km long and 30m runway was built in 1935 and upgraded in 1966.
It was last re-sealed in 1993.
Twenty thousand tonnes of material will be used in the project, while 4.5 tonnes of paint will be used to line mark the new runway.
Cr Rush said 1000 semi-trailer loads of material would be moved in and out of the site over three weeks.
This equals one truck movement every two minutes during construction periods.
A couple of years ago council spent $450,000 on the airport, replacing runway lighting with state-of-the-art technology.
Special navigational landing aids were also included in that project.
