The Board of Aviation Commissioners approved a contract for drainage improvements and related grading work. Boyd & Company Construction of Washington, Ind., was the lowest bidder at $139,183 for the base bid and $1.3 million for two additives.
The base bid includes drainage and grading in the area where a new 5,000-foot runway will be located, said John Baer of Woolpert, engineer. The additives involve similar work on the east and west portions of the airport grounds. Baer divided the project into three parts to make it easier to proceed if funding becomes available.
Baer’s next step is to apply to the Federal Aviation Administration for a $1.4 million grant. He said Henry County will get $150,000 in airport improvement funds this year and has $60,000 left over from last year, so there is $210,000 available to start construction.
“We’ve made a lot of progress, a lot of it is things that people don’t see, so maybe there’s some frustration with that, but in the past couple of years we’ve actually gotten quite a bit accomplished,” Baer said. Design work is finished, permits have been obtained, land needed for the expansion has been purchased, a comprehensive environmental assessment has been completed, and the airport’s master plan has been updated.
Baer said construction at the airport, which is located on County Road 400 South, should start between mid-July and September.
New Castle Mayor Greg York asked Baer the likelihood of getting FAA funding.
Once construction starts it is much more likely the project will be funded to completion, but that there are no guarantees, Baer said.
In other news, Baer reported wind turbines being considered for southern Henry County should not have an adverse impact on the airport’s airspace. Airport manager John Marlatt reported repairs to the airport’s lighting system are underway.
