Airport Commission to Move Ahead w/Runway Extension in Spring

Effingham County Regional Airport commissioners discussed Wednesday that work to extend the east-west runway and taxiway will not begin until the 2025 construction season.

Airport Superintendent Greg Koester said waiting until after the winter months will leave the facility intact for traffic, and then they can "hit the ground running" with construction in the spring.

Koester said the relocation of 1425th Street to make way for the extension has been completed.

Meanwhile, a project to construct a T-hangar building and access pavement will move ahead. The bid letting on that project is set for November 8, with a bid award by year's end. Koester said he met with state aviation officials on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony for the runway extension and they shared that Effingham "is knocking it out of the park" with the projects getting underway.

City Commissioner Hank Stephens was on hand for Wednesday's Commission meeting. Stephens and airport officials discussed City plans to contribute $100,000 toward the extension project. The City's contribution was discussed at a Council meeting in September.

Airport Commissioners discussed the annual Transportation Improvement Planning, or TIP, Meeting scheduled for November 1. The TIPs meeting is the opportunity to discuss capital improvement projects proposed at the airport in the next few years.

There was also discussion of selecting the airport consultant for the next five years. Hanson Engineers has been the consultant for many years. A tentative fiscal year budget was also reviewed, with action on the measure to come later this year.