GRAND JUNCTION — Today, Governor Polis was in Grand Junction, Palisade, and Glenwood Springs, as the Polis administration continues to make progress improving transportation infrastructure, investing in high-quality education, and supporting small businesses.

Governor Polis, joined by Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Executive Director Shoshana Lew, announced a new $4 million Division of Aeronautics grant to fully rehabilitate a runway at the Grand Junction Regional Airport. Governor Polis visited a Black-owned small business in Glenwood Springs, delivered the regional State of the State address to the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, and visited a school and early childhood center providing high-quality education to Colorado kids on the Western Slope.

“It was great to be in Palisade, Glenwood Springs, and Grand Junction today, and I met students and teachers benefitting from the Bright Spot Award and to announce the largest grant our administration is providing to a regional airport in 2023. This exciting grant to repair the secondary runway at Grand Junction’s regional airport will keep people moving in and out of Grand Junction safely and efficiently, and our continued investment in Colorado schools helps to make sure kids have the educational runway to power their futures,” said Gov. Polis. “As we look ahead, we are doubling down on our commitment to move Colorado forward, protecting our precious water resources, creating housing for every Colorado budget, improving public safety, and achieving bold climate action.”

Grand Junction is an important transportation hub for the state and improving the general aviation runway will free up capacity for larger aircraft to use the primary runway. As this airport grows, the administration continues to support the local vision to expand capacity both for travel and as a freight hub.

“The administration and CDOT are committed to expanding resiliency and mobility choices for Grand Junction and the Western Slope.  Adding more capacity to this airport is an important step, alongside other ongoing work to improve roads and transit on important corridors like the I-70 Business Route.  The state is also designing improvements to Cottonwood Pass, in collaboration with local governments and jurisdictions, and preparing to, within the coming months, apply for — and match — multiple competitive federal grants to accelerate construction,” said Shoshana Lew, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The Grand Junction Regional Airport is one of many regional airports across the state to receive transformative state support totaling $9.5 million this year for infrastructure maintenance and improvement projects. Grant recipients include:

    Astronaut Kent Rominger Airport - Del Norte
    Blake Field - Delta
    Craig-Moffat Airport- Craig
    Fort Morgan Municipal Airport
    Fremont County Airport - Canon City
    Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport
    Granby-Grand County Airport
    Grand Junction Regional Airport
    Greeley-Weld County Airport
    Haxtun Municipal Airport
    McElroy Field - Kremmling
    Mineral County Memorial Airport - Creede
    Northern Colorado Regional Airport- Loveland
    Rifle Garfield County Airport
    Silver West Airport - Westcliffe
    Southeast Colorado Regional Airport - Lamar
    Steamboat Springs Municipal Airport

Governor Polis began the day with a visit to a small business in Glenwood Springs as the Polis administration continues to support small businesses and make sure Colorado remains the best place to live, work, and do business.

Continuing to support high-quality education for Colorado kids, Governor Polis visited with students and teachers at Chatfield Elementary School, a recipient of the Governor’s Bright Spot award for schools that have demonstrated strong growth in student achievement. Governor Polis then visited an early childhood center that is registered to provide universal preschool this fall through Colorado’s Universal Preschool program. The Polis administration remains focused on implementing this bold new program which is estimated to save families thousands of dollars per year on child care while giving Colorado’s youngest learners the strong start they need to thrive.

In his address to the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, Governor Polis outlined his vision to achieve bold climate action including preserving Colorado’s precious water resources, ensuring more housing options for every Colorado budget, making Colorado one of the ten safest states in the nation in the next five years, and continuing to make bold investments in education including implementing universal preschool.