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Sugar Land council accepts $10 million state appropriation for airport runway rehabilitation
Summary
The council approved Resolution 25-32 to accept $10 million appropriated in HB 1 for runway rehabilitation at Sugar Land Regional Airport, and approved a corresponding budget amendment; staff said the full project is estimated at about $30 million.
The Sugar Land City Council on June 17 adopted Resolution 25-32 to accept a $10 million state appropriation, added in the Texas General Appropriations Act (HB 1), to support a runway rehabilitation project at Sugar Land Regional Airport.
Mitchell Davies, director of aviation, told the council the airport’s primary runway (Runway 17/35) was built in 1985, has reached the end of its useful life, and requires a full rehabilitation to meet current Federal Aviation Administration design standards. Davies said construction is currently estimated at about $30 million and that the airport’s program had aimed for a funding split of roughly $10 million from the state, $10 million from the FAA, and $10 million from airport funds. He said state appropriations championed through the offices of state legislators—specifically a $10 million allocation in HB 1—will be used to support the project.
Davies said the runway project presents complexity because the airport has one runway, limiting the ability to phase construction, and the city is planning construction to begin in January 2027. He emphasized that funds for the project will not come from the city’s general fund or sales tax: “All funds that go to this project are coming from airport funds and not any, tax dollars, general funder or sales tax will be going to this project.”
Councilmember Watley moved to approve Resolution 25-32 and a budget amendment to record the TxDOT grant; Councilmember Miller seconded. The motion passed by hand vote, 7-0. Watley also recognized the role of Joan Hoffman and Sen. Huffman’s office in securing the appropriation.
The resolution designates the city manager as the authorized representative to execute agreements with the Texas Department of Transportation for the grant. Staff said the design phase is underway and construction is tentatively scheduled to start January 2027; the city will continue to pursue FAA and other funding to cover the remaining project costs.
