Wood County Airport doubles size of ramp, parking to facilitate growth

WOOD COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - The Wood County Airport Collins Field has begun expanding in response to growing air traffic.

The airport showcased the newly renovated space on Thursday at the dedication for their new ramp. Airport Manager John Wisdom said that the expansion included the new ramp which is double the size of its predecessor, opened area around the fueling docks for easier refueling, and doubled apron parking.

Wisdom said that ports like this are the job base for small businesses in the area. In addition to this, people with private piloting licenses use their planes for personal and business travel regularly. Due to factors like these, Wood County and the surrounding areas have seen a massive uptick in traffic in recent years.

The airport was funded by TxDOT Aviation and local contributions from Mineola, Quitman, and the county. The funding was split about 90/10 according to Wisdom, and this expansion project ended up totaling about $1.2 million. Wisdom said they got a lot done with that budget, and the improvements were made to last.

The Northeast Texas Regional Mobility Authority also contributed to the parking portion of the renovation.

According to Wisdom, the next project will be runway extension.

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