Klamath Falls approves Taxiway F reconstruction contract pending FAA funding

Klamath Falls — The City Council on July 21 authorized a construction contract and a consultant contract needed to rebuild Taxiway F at Klamath Falls Airport, but both agreements are contingent on federal grant awards. Airport Manager Linda Tepper said the city expects FAA Airport Improvement Program funding and has structured the contracts so work can begin if and when funding is awarded. "We have been told that it looks promising," Tepper said, noting there are no guarantees from federal agencies.

The council voted to authorize a construction services contract with Rocky Mountain Construction LLC for the Taxiway F reconstruction in an amount not to exceed $11,326,138.60. The council separately authorized a consultant services contract with Mead & Hunt for construction administration services in the amount of $860,517.03.

The nut graf: The project rebuilds Taxiway F, a primary service route for multiple users including general aviation, cargo, the Air National Guard and forest-service tanker aircraft. City officials said FAA grants typically cover 95% of eligible costs but that one segment of Taxiway F must be built wider than the FAA will fully fund, meaning the city will absorb additional local costs for that portion.

City staff described the reconstruction as a multi‑phase project designed to match incremental FAA funding. "When we bid this project last spring, we did break it into 3 different phases to take advantage of however much money we could get from [the] FAA," Tepper said. She estimated the construction will likely span two construction seasons and that the contracts will be scaled to the amount of FAA funding awarded for each phase.

Council members asked for technical clarifications during the discussion. Tepper and staff said the western segment that abuts the Air National Guard ramp will be rebuilt to 75 feet wide; the segment between Taxiway G and the main runway to 50 feet; and the eastern segment serving general aviation to 35 feet. The city will fund the extra cost where the 75‑foot width exceeds FAA‑eligible expense. "We're essentially building to a greater capacity than what the FAA pays for, and that's where we will receive essentially more of the cost that we need to contribute to the project," Tepper said.

Mead & Hunt's contract covers project management, resident engineering, construction administration and post‑construction services. Tepper said the consultant selection and fee were reviewed under the FAA's independent fee estimate process and negotiated to be within the FAA‑accepted range.

The council approved both motions by voice vote with no recorded nay votes. Staff said work will not proceed until the FAA notifies the city of grant awards and confirms funding amounts for specific phases.

Ending: The contracts put the city in position to start work quickly if federal funding arrives; officials said they expect a decision on FAA grants soon and will return to council for funding‑specific authorizations if the award differs from the full contract amounts authorized July 21.