Tehachapi staff seek FAA design grant approval for Southwest taxi-lane reconstruction

City staff presented a Federal Aviation Administration grant agreement at the Sept. 15 meeting to fund the design phase of the Southwest Diagonal Taxi Lane reconstruction at Tehachapi Municipal Airport and asked the council to authorize execution of the agreement and related documents.

Staff said the city previously received a grant in 2015 to rebuild the diagonal taxiway but that the project was not awarded at that time because some airport tenants opposed the schedule and other details. The pavement condition index (PCI) for the affected pavement was described as 22 in prior surveys (a failed condition), and staff said the design will be updated to current FAA standards. The project scope as presented includes removal and reconstruction of asphalt pavement, installation of a center v-gutter, drainage improvements, pavement markings and environmental review.

Staff told the council the FAA award covers the engineering design phase; the grant comes from the FAA’s Building Infrastructure and Land Program and is distinct from the typical Airport Improvement Program. The design grant requires a 5% city match equal to about $8,000, with a total design-phase cost presented as $163,400. Staff said a separate construction grant is anticipated in a following year to fund construction.

A councilmember said the project scope has expanded slightly from the 2015 design. A staff presenter asked the council to approve the grant agreement and authorize the airport manager, city manager and city attorney to execute the documents. A motion to approve was made during the meeting; the transcript does not include a recorded roll-call vote on this item.

Because the transcript does not record a final vote on the grant item, the article reports the staff recommendation and the motion but does not assert final approval.