GA Ramp Serves Private Planes, Air Ambulances & Flight School Aircraft
Get ready for a significant enhancement at RST! In late summer or early fall 2025, RST will launch a major upgrade to its General Aviation (GA) ramp, the essential parking and staging area for private planes, air ambulances and flight school aircraft.
The project will modernize aging infrastructure and expand the ramp to relieve congestion and improve safety. On busy days, the current GA ramp often reaches capacity, forcing overflow aircraft to park closer to the commercial terminal and creating logistical challenges.
“This project improves access, efficiency and safety,” said Matt Wagner, the aviation project manager from Mead & Hunt who is overseeing RST’s efforts. “It ensures we can continue supporting a wide range of GA users, from local pilots to international visitors traveling to Mayo Clinic.”
Project Highlights
The GA ramp expansion includes:
- Widening the ramp by about 80 feet (from 325 to more than 400 feet)
- Replacing worn pavement at the end of its useful life to ensure a smoother, safer surface for aircraft
- Upgrading storm water systems to improve drainage and reducing steep taxiway grades for safer operations
- Installing LED, dark-sky-compliant lighting for enhanced visibility and reduced light pollution
- Removing an obsolete taxiway to meet current FAA design standards
- Adding a fuel truck staging pad to allow for more aircraft parking space on the ramp
Work will be phased to maintain access for aircraft during construction. Initial grading and drainage could begin in August or September, with most paving work scheduled for the 2026 construction season. The project is funded by the FAA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Grant Program, MnDOT Aeronautics, and airport reserve funds.
“Upgrading our GA ramp, along with all our other exciting recent improvements, demonstrates how RST is investing in the future of aviation,” said John Reed, RST’s executive director. “These enhancements help ensure that RST remains a reliable and modern gateway for both general and commercial aviation users.” In addition to the GA ramp improvements, RST continues to advance other critical infrastructure projects, including its runway extension project, which will extend the airport’s Runway 3 by 1,647 feet. The runway is being lengthened to improve safety and provide additional flexibility when the primary runway is under construction and unavailable in the 2030s. RST is nearing Phase 5 of this project, and is currently laying the foundation for the runway extension on newly-graded land.
Visit our project update page for the latest update on the general aviation ramp construction.
