Deer Lodge City–Powell County Airport Improvements
The Deer Lodge City–Powell County Airport Improvements Project is a major site civil and aviation infrastructure effort designed to bring a critical rural Montana airport up to current FAA safety and operational standards. The project condensed what had been anticipated as a four-year effort into a two-year delivery, reducing the airport’s funding burden and securing nearly $14 million in federal and state funds.
The project required extensive cross-company coordination and rapid mobilization of engineers, planners, scientists, and surveyors across Morrison-Maierle’s 12 offices. At peak effort, the design team included employee-owners from each of the company’s eight market groups working collaboratively to meet the aggressive FAA funding deadline.
Major Upgrades Ahead
Morrison-Maierle Project Managers Travis Eikman and Andy Galen led a fast-track effort to help the Deer Lodge-Powell County Airport receive $14M in FAA funding to extend the runway, upgrade lighting, and improve safety standards over the next two years. This project involved engineers, surveyors, planners, and scientists from all eight of the company’s market groups.
Details
The Deer Lodge City–Powell County Airport serves recreational aviation, medical and prison transport, military training, refueling, and agricultural spraying. These upgrades that this project provides ensure that the airport can continue operating safely and effectively while supporting regional economic development for decades to come.
Specifically, the project focuses on comprehensive BII airfield and safety improvements, including:
- Construction, extension, and improvement of the Runway 13-31 safety area, including road realignments, animal control fencing, building demolition, ditch redesign and improvements.
- Runway 13-31 extension.
- Construction of a partial parallel taxiway.
- Installation of AWOS III P(T) weather reporting equipment.
- Preparation of a site civil plan to support bidding and construction readiness.
Construction phase services will be contracted following bidding and final budget establishment.
Need to Know
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About the Client
Deer Lodge City–Powell County Airport is a critical rural Montana airport that serves recreational aviation, medical and prison transport, military training, refueling, and agricultural spraying.
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Fast-Tracked to Reduce Funding
The project condensed what had been anticipated as a four-year effort into a two-year delivery, reducing the airport’s funding burden and securing nearly $14 million in federal and state funds.
After initial delays from another airport project, the Deer Lodge effort was formally kicked off in November 2025 and completed in just three months. This accelerated delivery was critical to meet the FAA’s requirement that the project have bids opened by April 1.
By meeting this deadline, Morrison-Maierle enabled the FAA to commit additional funding in February 2026, ultimately bringing the total project value to nearly $14 million. The project team secured nearly $14 million from the FAA, which includes a $300,000 grant from the Montana Aeronautics Board. Due to the successful acceleration of the design, the airport not only secured federal participation but also reduced its required funding by approximately half compared to the original long-range plan.
Benefits
The Deer Lodge Airport Improvements Project demonstrates how focused engineering leadership, rapid mobilization, and strategic alignment with funding agencies can transform a delayed rural infrastructure project into a nationally supported, fully funded aviation upgrade. As a result, this project provides the airport with the improvements it needs while setting a benchmark for accelerated delivery under constrained timelines for future rural aviation projects.
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