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Mayor to resubmit Airport Improvement Program grant; project will narrow then later widen taxiway as required by state
Summary
The mayor told council staff would resubmit a federal Airport Improvement Program grant for runway and taxiway work; the state required the city to narrow a widened taxiway now to prevent pilot confusion, with plans to widen it again later under grant funding. The grant is roughly 90% federal, 5% state, and 5% airport authority cost share.
The mayor told the council the administration would resubmit the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant application for a runway revitalization project at the Fairhope Airport. The city previously sought to widen a taxiway for temporary use as a runway, but state aviation authorities and ALDOT required the taxiway be narrowed so pilots would not confuse it with the runway. The city now plans to narrow the taxiway to required specifications and then pursue widening again under the grant work.
Funding structure discussed at the work session remains the standard AIP split: approximately 90% federal, 5% state and 5% paid by the Fairhope Airport Authority. The mayor described the resubmission as likely for a smaller construction amount because the revised scope reduced certain elements; staff said the overall construction price had decreased from earlier estimates. The mayor characterized the work as "one of the largest projects in the history of the Fairhope Airport Authority." Council members asked for traffic data; staff said the airport reports monthly traffic and that the daily average had been in the 120–130 flights range.
Why it matters: the AIP grant funds runway/taxiway construction that affects aircraft operations, airport tenants and regional aviation capacity. The mayor said improved lease and fuel surcharge structures have increased airport revenue, supporting the airport authority’s ability to cover its share of the project.
Discussion and next steps: staff will submit the revised AIP application per mayoral authorization; the grant requires federal and state review. No formal council roll‑call vote was recorded in the transcript; the item was presented as an agenda matter for mayoral authorization to resubmit the grant application.
