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Commissioners accept $1.82 million FAA grant to advance airport apron and taxi-lane work; runway shift planning for Williams Road underway
Summary
Craven County accepted a $1,818,298 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law FAA grant toward taxi lane and apron work in the airport Aerospace Development Area; staff also updated commissioners on terminal upgrades and NEPA work to realign Williams Road to lengthen usable runway safety margins.
Craven County commissioners on July 21 approved acceptance of a $1,818,298 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Improvement Grant to fund apron and taxi-lane construction in the county airport’s Aerospace Development Area.
Airport Director Andy Shorter told the board the grant combines leftover FY 2024 funds with the FY 2025 allocation and will contribute to a larger $6.5 million project to build a new taxi lane and apron in a recently cleared development area. Shorter said the county has leased about 55 acres in the area and that work on roads and sewer is complete for the site.
Shorter also briefed the board on terminal upgrades: the airport completed an inline baggage-screening installation and refreshed airline ticket offices and expects the terminal project’s final phase to finish in the fall. He described the inline screening as improving safety and efficiency for TSA officers and airlines.
On runway capacity, Shorter summarized recent public outreach and environmental review work to move Williams Road away from the runway end. He said NCDOT has completed NEPA planning and submitted draft materials to lettered federal and state agencies; the comment window closes July 29. If there are no major comments, Shorter said he expects a Finding of No Significant Impact and subsequent design and construction grant steps: environmental work in one year, design the next year, and construction following thereafter.
Shorter explained the operational benefit: moving Williams Road and relocating required antennas can add about 400 feet of effective runway length without adding pavement, improving performance for existing aircraft in hot-weather conditions and enabling safer operations for future larger aircraft.
The board voted to accept the FAA grant and authorized the chairman to sign the paperwork. Several commissioners asked timing questions; Shorter said planning and design funding requests would follow and construction would likely begin after the New Year if grants are awarded on the FAA’s usual August–September timetable.
