Commission approves multiple airport construction grants, consultant contracts and 5‑year construction program

The Oklahoma Aerospace and Aeronautics Commission on May 14 approved a series of construction and consultant actions for the state’s airport improvement program and adopted the department’s FY2026 five‑year Airport Construction Program (ACP), which lists scores of projects across Oklahoma through 2030.

Commissioners approved change orders at Chickasha Municipal, ADA Regional Airport and West Woodward Regional Airport to address utility connections, insulation and additional pavement milling and inspection; staff said those changes were funded with combinations of state grant funds, federal grants and sponsor matches. The board also approved state grants and acting‑as‑agent agreements for multiple sponsor projects and awarded construction contracts for Clint‑Sherman Burns Flat pavement rehabilitation.

The commission approved consultant contract amendments and new on‑demand engineering agreements for plan review, construction management and inspection services with firms including Hewitt‑Zollars, KSA, Lochner, Garver and Parkhill. Staff said the on‑demand contracts are funded with state ODAA funds and include $75,000 not‑to‑exceed limits for several firms.

The commission voted to act as agent for the city of Shawnee for a series of taxiway, apron and T‑hangar projects; staff explained Shawnee requested agency assistance because of cash‑flow constraints following tornado damage.

The largest single agenda item was approval of the FY2026 five‑year Airport Construction Program, a multi‑year list that updates or adds projects at more than 60 airports — from box hangars and fuel systems to runway rehabilitations, terminal designs and airfield optimization work at the University of Oklahoma Max Westheimer Airport. The ACP includes projects scheduled in calendar years 2025–2030, with many projects funded by FAA, ODAA and local sponsor matches; staff presented multiple project cost and match breakdowns during the discussion.

Why it matters: the ACP and the approved projects drive capital spending on airport infrastructure statewide, which the department said supports economic development, safety and access while distributing federal, state and local funds across urban and rural airports.

Commission Discussion and details Staff described the Chickasha change order as adding about $22,000 to extend utilities and install wall insulation; the ADA Regional change order for additional milling and inspection was about $202,700 and West Woodward’s utility and water‑meter work was about $25,290. Michelle (staff) said funding would come from federal grants, state grant funds and sponsor matching contributions.

On the Max Westheimer item, staff noted the current environmental assessment and airfield optimization design work totals about $2,142,170 and represents design for a larger program of airfield infrastructure improvements previously estimated at roughly $36 million.

On Pauls Valley and Anadarko consultant approvals, staff described design and survey additions for runway rehabilitation and crack‑seal projects with listed not‑to‑exceed amounts and funding splits. For Clint‑Sherman Burns Flat, the commission approved contracts for pavement rehabilitation with total project cost per bids at $3,133,485 funded with PREP/PREP‑style funds.

The five‑year ACP listing prompted a brief discussion about Shawnee’s multiple projects; commissioners noted the surge in work stems from tornado recovery and that the commission and staff are prioritizing projects that are bid‑ready. After discussion the commission voted to approve the ACP as presented.

Votes at a glance - Change orders (Chickasha, ADA Regional, West Woodward): approved (roll call unanimous on motion) - Consent docket grants (Hinton, Max Westheimer) and itemized project approvals: approved (roll call unanimous) - Project consultant approvals and on‑demand contracts (Hewitt‑Zollars, KSA, Lochner, Garver, Parkhill): approved (roll call unanimous) - Acting as agent for Shawnee: approved (roll call unanimous) - Clint‑Sherman pavement contract approvals: approved (roll call unanimous) - FY2026 five‑year ACP: approved (roll call unanimous)

Staff said many of the ACP projects rely on federal FAA funding for the majority of construction dollars, with state and local matches varying by project. Several projects were characterized as previously approved but moved to updated years or with updated cost estimates.

Provenance: Items related to change orders, consultant approvals, acting‑as‑agent items and the FY2026 ACP were presented and discussed across the agenda (transcript entries for items 7–13).