Ajo Airport to Get Safety Improvements Thanks to Federal Grants

BizTUCSONSeptember 1, 2026

1 minute read

The only airport serving western Pima County will soon be safer than ever.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted at their Aug. 25 meeting to accept two grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration, which will go toward funding essential safety improvements and upgrades at Eric Marcus Municipal Airport in the small community of Ajo.

The improvements include replacing runway lights to help pilots land safely, as well as bringing electrical infrastructure up to code.

“These grants provide funding for us to provide much-needed electrical upgrades to the airport infrastructure,” said Michelle Montagnino, engineering division manager at the Pima County Department of Transportation.

“It also includes some needed upgrades to the runway safety systems for pilots, which we couldn’t do with the existing electrical system. This project also provides us with additional capacity for future upgrades of airport infrastructure.”

The hope is that the improvements will not only enhance operational safety at the airport, but will also support economic development in the region by making the airport more attractive to travelers and increasing traffic for local businesses.

“Investment in the Ajo airport will bring tourists closer to visiting the historic town of Ajo and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument,” said Diane Frisch, director of Pima County Attractions & Tourism. “This U.S. national monument and UNESCO biosphere reserve is one of the few places in the United States where the senita and organ pipe cactus grow wild.”

Pima County owns and operates Eric Marcus Municipal Airport, which is the only public-use airport in the far western part of the County. It serves residents of Ajo as well as the communities of Why and Lukeville.

The two federal grants provide $443,000 and $390,554 for the improvements. The County will be responsible for a match of $37,260, and an additional match of $37,260 will be paid by the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Multimodal Planning Division Aeronautics Group.

“We have been very successful partnering with ADOT Aeronautics and the FAA to identify funding to rehabilitate the Eric Marcus Municipal Airport, and we are committed to continuing to make improvements as new funding opportunities become available,” Montagnino said.