Townsend airport expansion on weather-dependent schedule; county to notify hangar owners

Lance Bowser, representing Robert Pesch and Associates, told the Broadwater County Airport Board on a construction update that the runway, apron and taxi-lane expansion is funded largely by federal grants but remains weather-dependent and could be delayed if materials crushing and thawing do not occur.

Bowser said two federal grants are involved: one that covers about 95% federal/5% local and another that covers about 90% federal/10% local, producing an apparent combined federal share shown as about 90.3% in project outreach materials. He also said the project contract is for 90 calendar days, with a substantial-completion deadline listed at Oct. 1, and that the prime contractor’s internal target is shorter: "Their real goal is 60 days," Bowser said, adding the contractor told him, "if we go beyond 60 days, we're probably losing money." Bowser described April 14 as the scheduled, weather-dependent closure date but said an earlier start would require six weeks of gravel crushing to be completed in advance.

Why it matters: the closure will temporarily prevent normal use of the airport runway and apron. Local agricultural operators who rely on aerial application said earlier openings would lessen summer impacts;…