Mercedita Airport begins $15.6M taxiway rehabilitation to boost operations
The Puerto Rico Ports Authority has started a $15.6 million rehabilitation project at Mercedita International Airport in Ponce, focusing on the eastern section of Taxiway A and connecting runways E, F and G.
Ports Authority Executive Director Norberto Negrón said the work “reflects the agency’s commitment to streamline and expedite the processes for the use of federal funds allocated for projects like this one, the rehabilitation of taxiways, essential structures in all air operations.”
“With this project, we’re placing the taxiways in optimal condition and meeting the technical parameters of the Federal Aviation Administration, thus ensuring the continued operation of this facility, while providing the structural mechanisms to drive its development,” he said. Negrón noted that passenger traffic at the airport has grown about 10% annually over the past decade.
Ponce Mayor Marlese Sifre described the rehabilitation of the Alfa runway’s east side as “a firm step toward strengthening the air infrastructure in our region” and “a strategic investment for the economic development of Ponce and southern Puerto Rico.”
She said the renovation supports a broader vision “to turn Mercedita into a regional growth engine, capable of attracting new routes, improving air services and generating quality jobs.”
The project includes resurfacing asphalt pavement, rehabilitating connecting runways, leveling elevations, upgrading airfield lighting, and improving stormwater infrastructure and signage. Ninety percent of the funding comes from the Federal Aviation Administration, with the remainder from the Ports Authority’s Capital Expenditure program.
Designated an international airport since 1990, Mercedita serves about 324,451 passengers annually and offers commercial, general, corporate and military aviation services. JetBlue and Frontier currently operate direct flights to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Orlando International Airport in Florida.
