Aircraft such as this one tied down at the Richmond County Airport Terminal need a good runway and airport facilities for passengers to visit business and industry in the county, airport officials say.
Once a contractor is awarded the bid, and a pre-construction meeting is held in mid-July BS work is to begin 30 to 45 days thereafter and be completed in two weeks.
The project for Runway 13-31 may cost over $1 million, yet to be decided through the bidding process.
At their recent budget meeting, Richmond County commissioners were unanimous in deciding to leave money in the new budget for the runway.
The county share of the cost will be 10 percent. The remaining amount will be paid through the N.C. Department of Transportation, Aviation Division.
A pre-bid conference for interested contractors will be held at 10:30 a.m. June 4 at the county council chambers in the Richmond County Administration Building on South Hancock Street in Rockingham.
“Maintenance of the runway and associated taxiways and aprons at the Richmond County Airport are an essential part of the infrastructure in place in the county,” County Manager Jim Haynes said.
“Although we feel the improvements to the airport have been to the benefit of progress in the county already, they will pay back benefits well into the future,” he said. “Just like the long-term investment in water treatment facilities, water lines and tanks; highways and the industrial park are now beginning to pay off, so to will airport improvements.”
He said now was the time to do the work while federal and state matching money was available at such a low matching rate.
The county recently replaced old hangars at the airport with 20 new nesting T-hangars and one large aircraft hangar 60 x 60 feet, all also with matching money.
The money for the project comes from the Federal Aviation Administration and is administered through the NCDOT.
The runway to be resurfaced is 5,001 feet long and 500 feet wide.
During the two weeks the resurfacing is being done, the main runway will be closed.
“However, most of the locally-based planes will be capable of using the grass runway, so they will be able to fly at their leisure,” said B. K. Jones, director of community services.
Most larger jet aircraft will use Laurinburg-Maxton in Scotland County, and Anson and Moore county airports during that time, he said.
“The runway has not been paved since the early 1980s,” Jones said, “and is in need of repair.”
At present, black streaks of tar snake back and forth and up and down the runway from patching. Recently, white paint dots were added to the runway to designate cracks which need attention. Jones said despite the markings, the runway remains safe for use until resurfaced.
“Once completed, we will have a completely renovated facility with the new terminal and ramp, new T-hangars and new corporate hangar, all of which were completed in the last five years, all of which were constructed with 90 percent grants,” he said.
The runway rehabilitation is just one project listed for the airport in the 2010 to 2014 NCDOT Transportation Improvement Program for Aviation for the Richmond County Airport.
Remaining on the county wish list are $11 million worth of other unfunded improvements and additions to the airport.
n Contact reporter Tom MacCallum at 997-3111, ext. 15; e-mail tmaccallum@yourdailyjournal.com.
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