June 17, 2021 at 5:19 p.m.
Extension underway
Bidding for second phase of work is scheduled for July
Extension underway
Construction is underway on the first phase of Portland Municipal Airport’s runway extension project.
The preparations are being made for bidding of the second phase.
Portland Board of Aviation on Wednesday received updates on the first few weeks of construction of the runway extension as well as the process for bidding the 2022 portion of the project.
Jason Clearwaters of Butler, Fairman and Seufert, the airport’s engineering firm, told the board that construction began with installation of a culvert and work on the construction entrance during the first week of June. Since then, the entrance has been completed, fencing added and this week crews began to strip top soil at both the airport and the Greg Whitenack property at 1338 W. 100 North which is providing the dirt for leveling the land west of the current runway.
“It’s off to a decent start,” said Clearwaters, noting that construction is dependent on the weather.
The first phase of the work by HIS Constructors of Indianapolis to extend the runway to 5,500 feet from the current 4,000 involves enclosing 555 feet of Alexander Ditch and leveling land west of the current runway. It is slated to be complete by the end of October.
The second phase, which involves paving and lighting, is scheduled to follow in 2022.
Clearwaters reported Wednesday that his firm is in the final stages of designing the paving and lighting work and expects to advertise it for bids June 29.
A pre-bid meeting is slated for July 12, with bids to be opened July 20. Those bids will be presented to the aviation board the next day, with plans to submit a grant request to the Federal Aviation Administration for the project on July 22.
A decision on the grant application — the $1.4 million second phase of the project is expected to be fully funded by the FAA via funds from the American Rescue Plan Act — is expected by the early fall. (The FAA funded the entirety of the first phase of the extension with funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Typically such projects are covered 90% by the FAA with the state and the municipality each contributing 5%.) If the grant is approved, the project will be awarded to a contractor in the fall with construction expected to begin in spring 2022.
Clearwaters noted that the airport’s layout plan will need to be updated once the project is complete. New flight approach procedures will also be implemented.
Portland Mayor John Boggs also thanked the board for its efforts to organize the June 2 groundbreaking ceremony for the project.
In addition to the runway extension work, airport manager Hal Tavzel reported that concrete work in the hangar area is expected to be completed by the end of the month. He also noted that all hangar renters are now up-to-date on payments and a few hangars remain available for rent.
In other business, the board:
•Heard from Tavzel that about a dozen students are now taking flying lessons at the airport after Tavzel Aviation hired a full-time instructor earlier this year.
•Learned from Clearwaters that the airport should hear within the next couple of months how much money it will receive via the American Rescue Plan Act for reimbursement of coronavirus-related expenditures.
•Heard from Tavzel that the airport sold 5,028.42 gallons of fuel in May for $18,843.12.
The preparations are being made for bidding of the second phase.
Portland Board of Aviation on Wednesday received updates on the first few weeks of construction of the runway extension as well as the process for bidding the 2022 portion of the project.
Jason Clearwaters of Butler, Fairman and Seufert, the airport’s engineering firm, told the board that construction began with installation of a culvert and work on the construction entrance during the first week of June. Since then, the entrance has been completed, fencing added and this week crews began to strip top soil at both the airport and the Greg Whitenack property at 1338 W. 100 North which is providing the dirt for leveling the land west of the current runway.
“It’s off to a decent start,” said Clearwaters, noting that construction is dependent on the weather.
The first phase of the work by HIS Constructors of Indianapolis to extend the runway to 5,500 feet from the current 4,000 involves enclosing 555 feet of Alexander Ditch and leveling land west of the current runway. It is slated to be complete by the end of October.
The second phase, which involves paving and lighting, is scheduled to follow in 2022.
Clearwaters reported Wednesday that his firm is in the final stages of designing the paving and lighting work and expects to advertise it for bids June 29.
A pre-bid meeting is slated for July 12, with bids to be opened July 20. Those bids will be presented to the aviation board the next day, with plans to submit a grant request to the Federal Aviation Administration for the project on July 22.
A decision on the grant application — the $1.4 million second phase of the project is expected to be fully funded by the FAA via funds from the American Rescue Plan Act — is expected by the early fall. (The FAA funded the entirety of the first phase of the extension with funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Typically such projects are covered 90% by the FAA with the state and the municipality each contributing 5%.) If the grant is approved, the project will be awarded to a contractor in the fall with construction expected to begin in spring 2022.
Clearwaters noted that the airport’s layout plan will need to be updated once the project is complete. New flight approach procedures will also be implemented.
Portland Mayor John Boggs also thanked the board for its efforts to organize the June 2 groundbreaking ceremony for the project.
In addition to the runway extension work, airport manager Hal Tavzel reported that concrete work in the hangar area is expected to be completed by the end of the month. He also noted that all hangar renters are now up-to-date on payments and a few hangars remain available for rent.
In other business, the board:
•Heard from Tavzel that about a dozen students are now taking flying lessons at the airport after Tavzel Aviation hired a full-time instructor earlier this year.
•Learned from Clearwaters that the airport should hear within the next couple of months how much money it will receive via the American Rescue Plan Act for reimbursement of coronavirus-related expenditures.
•Heard from Tavzel that the airport sold 5,028.42 gallons of fuel in May for $18,843.12.
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