"Excellent Bids" Received on Runway Extension Project

Effingham County Airport commissioners Wednesday looked over what were termed "excellent bids" on the extension of the east-west runway and the adjoining taxiway.

McCarthy Improvement of Davenport, Iowa submitted the low bid of $2,591,033 on the runway extension and $1,200,555 on the taxiway extension. Pavement replacement work was bid at $627,486 for a total of $4,419,074. $80,000 in other costs and $560,000 in design and construction engineering costs brings the total amount to $5,059,074.

McCarthy's bid was more than $2 million under the estimated construction cost.

The project will extend the primary runway to 6,000 feet as well as extend the associated taxiway to the new proposed end.

Commission members expect to award the bid at their March meeting. In the meantime, they will review the total project cost, construction and engineering, since the project is 90% State and 10% Local up to $5 million, but is all locally funded from that point. The state funds are from the Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan. 

Meanwhile, road relocation will be necessary on the east end of the airport to make way for the construction project. That work is estimated to cost $200,000, all involving local funds.

County Engineer Greg Koester shared that ground could be broken on the project as soon as June.

Koester also reported that the reconstruction of Airport Road, east from US Route 45 to the entrance to Hetzel's Overland Transport could begin in March.