Development Overview
Waukesha's airport has seen major changes in the 1990's and into the new millennium. The County, using State and Federal funds, purchased land and relocated the intersection of Pewaukee Road and Bluemound Road to provide an increased safety area for runway 28 and to provide airspace protection. The County put into operation a new fuel farm facility in December 1992, removing all underground fuel tanks installed over the years.
In October of 1993, the Airport Commission was successful, through the County Board, in having the Airport annexed into the City of Waukesha. The annexation provided full-time fire and emergency protection from the City Fire Department, as well as sewer availability, and more appropriate building construction standards.
More recent improvements at the Airport included the construction of a new control tower in 1995, construction a the southeast hangar area in 1996, and installation of a glide slope providing a full instrument landing system in 1997. The Airport undertook a $240,000 renovation project for the five south T-hangars in 1996 and installed an Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) in 1997. Construction of a new aircraft parking ramp, entrance roadway, and parking lot was completed in 1998, as well as the completion of a new 11,158 square foot terminal building. Construction of a new full-length parallel taxiway south of runway 10/28 was completed in 1998, and construction of a new full-length parallel north/south taxiway was completed in 1999 which also includes the installation of Runway End Identifier Lights (REILs) and Precision Approach Path Indicators (PAPIs) on each end of runway 18/36. The Airport undertook in 1999 the construction of a new corporate hangar area.
Projects including the construction of the southwest hangar area and the replacement of hangars doors on the five T-hangars were completed in 2000. Phase II of the southwest hangar area was designed in 2002. Also in late 2002 the control tower base building was completed. New communications equipment was installed and a STARS radar unit was installed. In 2004 an Airport Traffic Information Syatem (ATIS) was installed. It is combined with the AWOS to share the same frequency. As part of this project a new transmitter and a relocated antenna were incorporated to improve range and clarity of the transmissions.
Runway 18/36 was reconstructed and repaved in 2006 and runway 10/28 is scheduled for reconstruction in 2011. 2008 was a quiet year for construction but it did bring an update to the AWOS and the news that a Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) will arrive for Crites Field in March of 2009. Recent changes to our security requirements necessitates a redesign of the gates in the southeast hangar area. The new gates will have spereate entry and exit lanes with gates that will operate at faster speeds to deter "piggy-backing".