Two of San Mateo County's airports, Half Moon Bay and San Carlos, will be closing their runways for critical repairs and refurbishments in the coming weeks, affecting air traffic and local businesses. The airport closures, while essential to maintain safe operations in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, have left some navigating an unexpected turbulence of disrupted schedules.
Half Moon Bay Airport will be closed from Monday, August 14 to Friday, August 18 to undergo maintenance work including crack-filling, slurry sealing, and painting new pavement markings on the runway via SMC Gov. Originally built in 1942 for the U.S. Army, the facility now accommodates around 80 aircraft and a handful of aviation-related companies. More importantly, the airport is responsible for emergency response services such as Medivac flights, security patrols, and Coast Guard sea-rescue operations, meaning these life-saving services will be affected by the closure.
Noting the importance of runway maintenance, Gretchen Kelly, airport manager with County's Department of Public Works, describes the situation as similar to a residential street, acknowledging, "Just like the street in front of your house, our runways over time get typical wear and tear and need some care" (SMC GOV). While travelers and aviation businesses are urged to adapt to the temporary disruption, on-site establishments like the Pilot Light Café at Half Moon Bay will continue to operate during their regular business hours.
As the first closure ends at Half Moon Bay Airport, the San Carlos Airport, hosting approximately 500 aircraft and over two dozen aviation enterprises, will follow suit and shut down for a full month starting September 11 according to SFGate. The San Carlos Airport was built in 1948 and also facilitates emergency services like its counterpart, the Half Moon Bay Airport.
During the month-long closure at San Carlos Airport, crews will work rigorously to fix significant cracks on the airport's runway and taxiway, stabilize soil, improve drainage, restripe runways, and replace lights, signs, and other essential equipment. The county informed that some additional occasional closures might be necessary for an extra month following the project completion on October 11, but the on-site businesses will remain open throughout the duration of the project.
Despite the inconvenience some will face during this time, the airport repair works are crucial to maintaining safe and fully functional facilities. With the FAA funding 90 percent of the project costs, approximately $13 million, and the remaining amount covered by airport user and business fees.
