On October 15, 2026, the Department of Airports identified significant pavement cracking on Runway 11/29 at Needles Airport that required immediate attention. The deteriorating pavement presented a safety concern and had the potential to impact the Sheriff’s Department’s ability to safely land aircraft used to retrieve ballots and transport them to the County Registrar of Voters for the November 3, 2026, General Election.
With a very limited timeframe to complete the repairs, Facilities Management quickly coordinated with multiple County departments, including Airports, Public Works, Finance, the Auditor-Controller, and the County Administrative Office, to expedite the necessary approvals, funding, contracting, and construction.
Through strong interdepartmental collaboration and an accelerated project schedule, the runway repairs were successfully completed on October 30, 2026—just two weeks after the pavement concerns were identified and ahead of Election Day. The project restored the affected runway pavement and ensured continued aviation access at Needles Airport.
