Battle Creek airport wins major state grant; taxiway overhaul funded, tower equipment updated

Alana White, chair, opened the meeting and turned the floor to airport staff for updates. Phil, airport staff, told the advisory council that the airport has secured grant funding to preserve and rebuild Taxiway Alpha and to complete several airfield maintenance projects.

Phil (airport staff) said the Taxiway Alpha project "got started earlier this month with a grant from the FAA about $750,000 in entitlements" and that the Michigan Department of Transportation awarded a $7,000,000 state apportionment grant for the bulk of the work. Phil said the city will combine those funds with about $1,000,000 from infrastructure grants the airport has reserved and local funds, bringing the committed total to about $8,700,000; he said the project will require additional local funds because the full cost will exceed that amount.

Why it matters: Phil explained Taxiway Alpha is the main…