Valdosta council approves GDOT grant for runway lighting and general aviation terminal work

The Valdosta mayor and council on April 10 approved a resolution accepting a Georgia Department of Transportation grant to rehabilitate lighting on Runways 2 and 22 and to contribute to work on the general aviation terminal. Tim Hood, executive director for the Valdosta–Lowndes County Airport Authority, presented the request and said no City of Valdosta operating funds would be required for the state portion of the project.

The airport director told the council the project combines GDOT funding with other sources, including SPLOST, the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), AIP grants and airport funds, to cover terminal work. He described the GDOT portion as the state’s contribution toward runway lighting rehabilitation and terminal improvements and said the city will not need to contribute general-fund dollars for the GDOT share.

Council members asked no substantive follow-up questions during the presentation. A council member moved to approve the resolution, another seconded, and the motion passed by voice show-of-hands with no recorded opposition. The council’s action authorizes staff to accept the grant and proceed with the state-funded scope of work; project scheduling and contractor procurement were not specified in the meeting record.

Clarifying details provided during the presentation included the listed funding sources (SPLOST, BIL, AIP and airport funds) and a GDOT contribution amount that was read aloud in the meeting but recorded in the transcript with unclear punctuation; the airport director also stated that city funds would not be required to accept the GDOT portion.