Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (KBAF), Westfield/Springfield, Massachusetts: Runway reconstruction is underway

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The main runway at Barnes Regional Airport in Westfield is now officially closed for construction. 

Barnes Regional Airport and Barnes Air National Guard Base share one main runway. That runway has been in use for 28 years, 8 years past its 20-year life expectancy.

Barricades are now up on the main runway, and as Senator Elizabeth Warren toured the construction site, the work began.

Colonel James Keefe, the 104th Fighter Wing Commander, told 22News, “The issue of course was the runway was deteriorating. It wasn't able to keep up with the mission of the F-15's. After burn or blasts were tearing up some of the asphalt.”

The main runway is expected to be closed until the beginning of November, but meantime, business goes on as usual at the airport using the crosswind runway.

The base and the airport have more than 2,000 employees, and they generate $180 million for the local economy.

Senator Warren said “All the folks who work here and get out there, and they buy haircuts. They buy pizzas. They buy property out in the area. It makes a real difference.”

Military and airport officials agree once the runway is complete, it will better support the F-15 operations and better serve airport's major clients such as Gulfstream.

Airport Manager Brian Barnes told 22News, “They doubled their business, so they have airplanes coming internationally from all over the world. Obviously you don't want to have an airplane land and have something happen to that because of the runway so it's going to help them.”

The majority of F-15 fighters jets a temporarily stationed at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, and the 24/7 alert mission is being carried out from Otis Air Reserve Base on Cape Cod while the work is being done.

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