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Airport project costs rise after crews find embedded electrical infrastructure; county to relocate equipment off AOC wall
Summary
Pitkin County staff reported a substantial cost increase to an airport AOC wall renovation after crews found complex electrical and utility infrastructure attached to the wall. Interim county management described a $267,000 increase to avoid repeated future relocations of assets and to move utility equipment away from the wall.
Pitkin County officials told commissioners on March 11 that a previously budgeted exterior wall renovation at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (AOC) has encountered unexpected complexity and a substantial cost increase.
Interim deputy county manager Rich Inglehart said contractors found that electrical service, communications and other utility equipment were attached to the wall the county planned to replace. The unexpected infrastructure attachment makes a straightforward wall rebuild impractical; staff now plan to relocate utilities away from the wall to protect equipment and avoid repeat relocations during future expansions.
Inglehart said the change will increase the project budget by approximately $267,000. The board was informed that the airport has the fund balance to cover the increase; staff recommended proceeding now while the airport is closed to minimize operational disruption. The airport team and the airport advisory board have reviewed and recommended the revision, Inglehart said.
Why it matters: the work affects runway lighting, security camera infrastructure and other airfield systems. Staff said moving the utilities to a new, less-exposed location is prudent given potential future expansion of the AOC and to reduce risk to sensitive equipment.
Board response and next steps: commissioners discussed whether the relocation is likely to be a one-time fix and asked for assurances that the new location will avoid future rework; staff said they had sought a solution to minimize future moves. Staff said they expect to finalize contractor work and cover the increase from airport funds; no formal board vote was recorded during the work session.
