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Harvey County approves low bid for Newton airport runway reconstruction and authorizes federal grant application
Summary
The Harvey County Commission approved the low bid for the Runway 08/26 reconstruction at Newton City-County Airport and authorized staff to submit a federal grant application to the FAA. The low bid was within the engineer's revised estimate; construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in July and include temporary runway closures.
The Harvey County Board of Commissioners on April 15 approved the low bid for the Runway 08/26 reconstruction at Newton City-County Airport and authorized city staff to submit a federal grant application subject to Federal Aviation Administration approval. The low bidder was identified in the meeting as Donlinger Construction at $4,275,216.
The award follows a prior round of bidding in March that produced bids above the engineer's estimate and were rejected. Brian Palmer, aviation director for Newton City-County Airport, told the commission the airport's engineering consultant revised its cost assessment after a review, and the subsequently solicited bids came in below the updated estimate.
Palmer said the grant application must be written by the end of April to meet the program timetable. He described the next steps as City and County approvals, writing the grant, FAA review, and then construction scheduling if FAA approves the grant.
Commissioners asked about construction timing and operational impacts. Palmer said tentative construction would start in July, with Runway 08/26 closing during that work; a separate phase on Runway 17/35 is scheduled for roughly a 30-day closure in mid-October to mid-November. He said the contractor will have approximately 190 days to complete construction and that temporary markings will be used if permanent paint must wait for appropriate weather.
The commission also discussed contractor experience. Palmer said Donlinger Construction had worked on prior airport projects, including the taxiway echo project and an earlier runway project, and that the airport staff is not concerned about workmanship based on past experience with the contractor. He added that federal projects typically include testing and oversight the FAA requires.
Motion language recorded in the meeting directed staff to approve the bid from Donlinger Construction and authorize city staff to submit the federal grant application, subject to FAA approval. The motion was moved and seconded and the commission voted in favor.
If the FAA approves the grant, Palmer said staff will notify airport tenants by mail and public notices with timing for any temporary airport closures and mitigation steps for tenants and based aircraft.
There was no further public discussion at the meeting; the commission recorded the motion as adopted.
