AUBURN, Neb. (AP) — The city of Auburn has realized its civic dream of a paved runway at its airport.

Nebraska City radio station KNCY reports (http://bit.ly/2bRr0hu) that the paving has been completed, so construction crews are working on surface ramps and skirting. The nearly $3 million project is expected to be finished by Oct. 1.

Auburn Mayor Scott Kudrna says the city has desperately needed to pave a runway, saying Auburn has been the only Nebraska community with more than 3,000 residents that didn’t have one.

Auburn has been serving pilots and planes with a grass runway. But that’s been a problem for some airplane owners, because their insurance companies wouldn’t allow the planes to be landed on grass.