Roswell airport reports 'steady' passenger numbers and several capital projects underway

Airport staff briefed the Roswell City Council on March 12 about operations and capital projects, reporting steady passenger counts and several ongoing infrastructure efforts.

The airport presenter, introduced by the mayor as "Bobby," told the council that commercial service has consolidated to roughly two flights a day but that passenger counts were “right about 4,000 passengers during the month of February and about 4,500 in the month of March.” Staff said American had shifted to larger aircraft for the market and that aircraft parking and some operations had adjusted accordingly. The airport also reported continuing military training visits, NATO flights and contractor visits related to brake testing and other operations.

Project updates included: completion of apron rehabilitation and final contractor payment; near‑term completion of additional restroom punch‑list items in the terminal; selection of a diesel emergency generator (staff cited an estimated cost of $500,000) and plans to go out to bid for installation; and pavement preservation work for Taxiways Alpha, Juliet, Gulf and Hotel to maintain PCI ratings. The presenter said the taxiway rehabilitation project encountered unmarked underground 480‑volt lines in the work area, and that engineering and a change order (staff cited about $125,000) would be required to relocate or address them.

Councilors asked questions about details and follow‑up. Staff said electrical work tied to an air race would be funded by the event organizer rather than the city, and the airport manager confirmed continued monitoring of a United Denver flight that had shown recent increases in passenger bookings. The airport also reported continued coordination with the Bureau of Land Management around fire‑fighting logistics and described interest in developing the facility as a regional firefighting hub.

What happens next: staff said they will return with change‑order cost estimates and bid results for the generator; council asked staff to keep the council informed about safety issues (including discovery of buried infrastructure) and to follow up on tenant and event coordination.