Paul Bridges Airfield officially opened

A grand opening was held for the new airport runway at Paul Bridges Airfield on Saturday, June 4, 2022, by means of a fly-in where several pilots brought their most prized planes for the public to see.

Two years ago, it was announced to the County Commission that Lewis County officially had the oldest runway in the state, and that it was in dire need of repair. The project came at an approximate cost of $2.5 million with a 4.5 percent match required from the County.

The first resolution failed in August of 2020, but passed two months later after several concerned citizens came before the Commission and told them why the runway was vital for the community.

The County Government soon began working with the USDA and TDOT to locate grants that could help pay for the runway. Amazingly, in the end, the County spent no local tax dollars for the project which was fully funded by both state and federal grants with the CARES Act covering the County's match of $110,000.

During the process, Lewis County lost their beloved Airport Manager, Paul Bridges, who unfortunately never got to see the project to completion. In an effort to memorialize him, the Commission changed the name of the airport from the John A. Baker Airfield to the Paul Bridges Airfield which was officially revealed on Saturday, June 4.

Since Bridges death, a new Airport Manager has taken over and has made huge strides to improve the airport and the customer experience. Gary Nash was excited to welcome the public to the new and improved Paul Bridges Airfield on Saturday, and looks forward to the airport's future.