News
Airport plans major improvements
6/4/2010
Author: Dennis Nartker
Published by: News Sun
Major improvements to the Kendallville Municipal Airports runways and taxiways and stormwater drainage system are planned in the next two years.
Wednesday night, the Aviation Board of Commissioners approve an application for a $99,560 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant to plan the reconstruction the 4,400-foot runway, 1,000-foot taxiway and four smaller hangar taxiways. The project will entail resurfacing the runway and taxiway similar to street reconstruction projects.
The state would pay $1,110 of the cost, and the aviation board would have to put up $3,930 of the cost.
Completed plans will be sent to the FAA and state for approval before the aviation board applies for a grant to pay for the reconstruction in 2011, according to Mark Shillington of Indianapolis-based Woolpert, a design, engineering and geospatial firm serving as the aviation board's consultant on capital projects.
The board also discussed ways to address flooding problems on the airport grounds.
Preliminary plans for improving the airport stormwater drainage call for stormwater to be directed north to the Fry Ditch, according to Shillington. Noble County Surveyor Scott Zeigler has approved the preliminary plan that includes a holding pond and swales.
Shillington said directing the water north will be more expensive but is a better option that directing storm water south and west into residential areas.
The FAA will not have money available until 2012 for a grant for the stormwater project if Congress appropriates money to the FAA for grants to airports, he said. "There are 51 airports in Indiana alone that compete for federal dollars," he said.
In other business, commissioners announced the airport's administration building's interior will be upgraded with new carpeting and furniture. Commissioners also granted airport manager Nathan Steiner permission to purchase a hand-held radio to communicate with pilots when he is not in the administration building. Back to Top