Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California, is getting an upgrade to its dilapidated runway thanks to the efforts of our U.S. Marines and Navy Seabees. According to NBC San Diego, the joint effort between the armed services and the Catalina Island Conservancy brings 100 military personnel to the tiny island to repair the 1941 runway with a dramatic drop-off at one end.
“The conservancy had been patching the runway at a cost of about $250,000 a year until the state Department of Transportation’s aeronautics division said it needed a long-term repair plan. The trust then partnered with the Defense Department’s Innovative Readiness Training Program, which looks to match up the needs of communities with military training opportunities.
“The airport closed in December, when tons of construction supplies were sent over from the mainland. The military set up an encampment at the airport and began work to replace the existing asphalt with concrete.”
You can read more about the project here.
