Carson City’s Airport Authority unanimously gave preliminary approval regarding two 2014 projects, continuing the airport’s apron reconstruction efforts at about $1.6 million.
Authority members also heard a report that the $2.7 million main apron project work already started was well into phase 2 this year and might be completed, weather permitting, by Thanksgiving. Members were told it definitely would be done in the spring if weather delayed it.
Phase 3 in reconstructing that main apron is the main 2014 project, costing $1.35 million in funds supplied by the Federal Aviation Authority and $90,000 in airport matching money. The other 2014 project slated is design of north apron reconstruction costing $156,562 from the FAA and $10,438 in airport matching money, or $167,000 overall.
In addition, authority members folded into the motion providing the preliminary approval a 2015-2019 capital improvement document from Jim Clague, engineer, who said that is needed in preparation for meetings with FAA representatives over long term capital projects planned. He said the FAA mainly is concerned with those in the earlier years, particularly 2015-2017.
Clague said if the FAA has additional funding available in any given year, projects may be moved ahead and done earlier if Carson City’s airport has matching money. He said that is why the current phases of the main apron work are ahead of the original schedule.
Authority Chairman Guy Williams said the airport needs to have revenue for such match opportunities to proceed quickly. He said Carson City then is in a good position when other airports can’t provide match.
“Not a lot of airports can,” he said.
In the out years, according to the current schedule, reconstruction of the north apron for $1.65 million would begin in 2015, with phase 2 of that project in 2016 costing $1.7 million. In addition, for 2015 a required wildlife hazard assessment slated would cost $100,000.
In 2017, an airport master plan update is slated at an overall cost of $300,000.