The Alpena County Regional Airport provides a valuable resource to our region, connecting Northeast Michigan to Detroit and from there to the rest of the country and the world.

The Alpena airport consistently hits its 10,000-passenger goals each year, showing plenty of Northeast Michiganders see the value in taking to the skies to travel from the region.

Now, the state has shown it, too, sees the value in our airport.

The Alpena County-owned airport recently received the Air Carrier Airport of the Year award from the Michigan Aeronautics Commission and Michigan Department of Transportation, News staff writer Steve Schulwitz reported recently.

The state agencies commended the Alpena airport for its recent reconstruction of its main runway.

“Congratulations to this year’s awards winners and thank you for your contributions to improving Michigan aviation,” said Mike Trout, MAC director and MDOT Office of Aeronautics administrator. “Their outstanding work has not gone unnoticed to the MAC, MDOT and the aviation community.”

We, too, commend the airport for their work.

The runway reconstruction saw some delays and cost overruns, but the project vastly improved the airport’s capabilities, and it helped ensure commercial air service will continue in Northeast Michigan for years to come.

Congratulations go to everyone involved in making the airport successful.