Pearland Regional Airport (PRA) has been a fixture on the Brazoria County landscape for many years. First developed as Clover Field in 1940, this privately owned general aviation airport now houses well over 200 aircraft used for business and recreation, as well as a variety of other tenants on the airport property.

In its quest to sustain its planned growth for the long term, PRA’s management team has focused on planning, funding, and executing the right projects at the right times. Working closely with airport stakeholders such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), PRA staff has been able to keep its improvement program moving steadily.

In fact, since 2002, major renovations have taken place at PRA financed through an eclectic mix of government funding and private investments. Working closely with airport staff to execute the enhancement program, PBS&J provided planning, surveying, engineering, and construction management services under a continuing services arrangement with the airport’s owners.

The projects have touched nearly every facet of PRA’s aviation infrastructure and incorporated major lighting, marking, and drainage improvements for an expanded system of runways and taxiways. Over time, the airport terminal’s apron was reconfigured to allow parking for additional aircraft, the airport beacon was moved, the existing airport entrance road was converted into a taxilane, and a new entrance road is planned and awaiting construction. The estimated construction cost of the improvements is $6.3 million.

Upgrades to the facility have resulted in improved safety and efficiency for the aviators who use the airport. In addition, however, the phased and well executed improvement program has made PRA very attractive to new tenants and aviation-based businesses that complement existing airport operations, strengthening the bottom line for not only the airport but its host community.