Roseburg City Airport Commission hears project updates including FAA-requested taxiway redesign and security-fence plan

Ryan, an airport project staff member, briefed the Roseburg City Airport Commission on four capital projects at the start of the meeting: a Taxiway A extension, airport security fencing, completion of a standby generator project and an ASOS weather-station update.

The most immediate item was the Taxiway A connector redesign requested by the Federal Aviation Administration. "It's about $219,000 right now to make that change requested by the FAA," Ryan said, and added that the change would be 90% funded by the FAA. He described the design change as a modification to the connector geometry: the original approved centerline radius was 10 feet and the FAA requested a 35-foot radius so aircraft would be more perpendicular to the runway at the hold line. The alteration also adds roughly 1,800 cubic yards of material and about a foot of height to a retaining wall with a blast fence on top. Ryan said the change order exceeds his signing authority and that the commission will likely be asked to consider the amendment once the FAA confirms its funding share.

Commissioners asked how the work would affect operations. Commissioner Rob Levin asked whether the work would require runway closures; Ryan replied there will be closures when crews demo the old connector, install the new connector and trench for electrical work, and that staff will provide a more detailed schedule once available.

On the airport security fencing project, staff described an archaeological review completed the week of Jan. 27. The contractor dug two 20-inch by 20-inch by 20-inch test holes and wrote a report finding no further concerns; the report will go to the FAA for a 30-day review. Ryan said the fence design scope is expected to be under $100,000, which would allow staff to manage the fee review internally and move the design more quickly. He added the commission plans to advertise bids in May so the airport can obligate Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funds before the federal fiscal-year deadline in June. "It's about a mile of fence," Ryan said when asked about construction scale.

Staff reported the airport standby power generator project is complete. A roughly $8,000 change order installed variable-frequency drive motors on fuel pumps; with contingency the project finished about 1.6% under the approved amount. Grant paperwork has been executed and the first pay request — covering up to 90% of eligible costs because the work is complete — is in preparation.

Finally, staff noted work on the ASOS weather station and associated communications equipment is scheduled for Feb. 25 and will take place inside the FBO building rather than on the airfield.

The commission did not take a formal vote on any of these projects during the meeting; Ryan said he will return with formal change-order approval requests if and when FAA funding confirmation requires commission action.