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FAA meeting: taxiway relocation, apron reconstruction and VOR/AWOS siting shape Grand County CIP
Summary
FAA and airport staff told the Grand County Airport Board that Taxiway Alpha relocation and apron reconstruction are priorities; higher FAA funding levels in FY25–26 reduce the local match for major projects, but the airport’s AWOS/VOR location in a 1,000-foot critical area may constrain project siting and require study or relocation.
Airport staff and FAA representatives briefed the Grand County Airport Board on the capital improvement plan and funding prospects, including a prioritized package of apron reconstruction, apron expansion and taxi-lane construction, and the constraints created by the location of navigational aids.
The FAA update: The FAA described a three-schedule project approach. The highest priority is apron reconstruction (the oldest pavement in front of the GA hangars), followed by apron expansion (to add large hardstands), and finally taxi lanes. For FY25–26 the FAA indicated an unusually favorable match: where the standard federal share is about 90.63% (local match ~9.37%), the FAA anticipates covering about 95% for selected projects over the next two years, reducing the airport’s local match to roughly 5%.
Why it matters: That higher federal share reduces the county’s near-term funding burden and could allow several projects — including apron reconstruction and expansion — to proceed that otherwise might have been delayed. Staff noted entitlement funding increased from $1,000,000 to $1,300,000 annually, and the airport holds accrued BIW/‘bill’ funds and discretionary funding possibilities that can be packaged with entitlements for a multi-million-dollar program.
Navigational aid constraint: FAA staff told the board the airport’s VOR/AWOS sits in a 1,000-foot critical area that limits where apron and taxi-lane development can occur. Moving or decommissioning that navigational aid, or developing an RNAV/GPS approach, would require study, interagency coordination and potentially several years. The board asked staff to research options, costs and whether grants or FAA discretionary funding could cover relocation or approach development.
Other capital items: The board discussed replacement scheduling for the ARFF truck (eligible after 15 years; truck build time ~3 years), phasing options if taxi-lane funding is not available, and the possibility of adding paving in front of tenant hangars to avoid small leftover sections that would otherwise be owner-paid. Staff promised an updated CIP with revised figures by the end of the week and will circulate it to board members ahead of the next meeting.
Next steps: Staff will produce an updated CIP for distribution by Friday, solicit engineering proposals (due Nov. 18) and research AWOS/VOR relocation or alternative instrument-approach development to preserve federal funding eligibility for planned apron and taxi-lane projects.
"The FAA is picking up 95%" of certain projects over the next two years, staff said — a change that could materially lower the county’s match for major paving work.
