BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Bellingham International Airport could soon begin flying south of the border.

The Port of Bellingham announced that BLI is taking steps to add commercial flights to Mexico. Before it can add the service, it will need to make safety improvements that will begin their first phase of construction this year.

Those fixes include a $30 million runway repaving project and a $100 million traffic control tower replacement, which are both federally funded. The Port says it’s also supporting efforts by airlines to recruit more pilots and acquire more planes in an effort to add new flights and destinations.

The Port has not yet responded to My Bellingham Now with additional details, including a potential timeline for flights to Mexico and what airline will be servicing these new flights.