Taxiway G Ribbon Cutting

Officials Celebrate Opening of Essential Connector Taxiway

Punta Gorda, FL (April 11, 2024) - The Charlotte County Airport Authority (CCAA) celebrated the opening of Taxiway G on Thursday after a seven-month construction project that began in August 2023. Taxiway G is essential to connecting Taxiway E to meet Taxiway A, providing a new connection to Runway 4-22 that did not previously exist.

"This project is essential to connecting all three runways and the new ramp at the PGD Air Center. It provides an immense improvement to the user experience, removing all the complexities of the runway crossings and making a taxi route to Runway 22 immediately accessible," said PGD's CEO James W. Parish.

Alongside Charlotte County Airport Authority Board Members, representatives from the offices of Senator Rubio and Congressman Steube attended, along with FAA district representatives, contractors and staff from the project team.

The $7.3-million project was designed by Kimley-Horn in 2023 and completed by Dickerson Infrastructure Construction in March of 2024. While PGD has completed several rehabilitation and reconstruction projects on runways and taxiways over the last decade, this is the first completely new piece of airfield pavement constructed in 20 years.

Taxiway G is necessary to provide taxi routes to enter and exit the PGD Air Center and its associated GA ramp. It's also important for ongoing development of the PGD AviEx, the growing hub for aviation businesses, flight schools and the future facility for CTC's Aviation Maintenance Technician School.

This connection allows more efficient ways to enter/exit the new PGD Air Center, reduces taxiing time, reduces runway crossings by 60% and addresses potential safety concerns. Having this connection enables Air Traffic Control to guide all aircraft to the GA ramp with minimal runway crossings in any configuration due to the options it provides.

The taxiway project was 90% funded by the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), specifically through an Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG). This is the first PGD project to receive funding under the BIL, a federal program investing nearly $1 billion nationwide to help fund airport terminal improvements and modernize transportation infrastructure. Passenger Facility Charges also contributed to the design and construction costs, and funding from the FDOT contributed to the construction as well.

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About Punta Gorda Airport

The Charlotte County Airport Authority (CCAA), governed by five elected commissioners, owns and operates the Punta Gorda Airport (PGD), located at 28000 Airport Road, five minutes off I-75, exits 161 and 164 in between Sarasota and Ft. Myers. PGD provides quick and easy access to Southwest Florida, and is home to commercial air service, air charters, medical transport services, aircraft maintenance and avionics repair, an A&P School, as well as flight schools, distributers and manufacturers. No ad valorem (property) taxes are used for airport operations or construction. CCAA is a nontaxing entity and operates as an enterprise fund, supported by revenue generated from its operations including rental car concession, parking, fuel sales and hangar, building and land leases on its 2,000-acre property, in addition to federal and state grants. The CCAA is an independent special district pursuant to chapter 189, Florida Statutes, and operates in accordance with FAA requirements and guidelines. A 2022 economic impact study by the FDOT estimated that PGD is responsible for 11,319 jobs and $1.7 billion in total economic output. For more information, visit www.flypgd.com.

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