County engineer: airport runway rehab will close runway for up to 90 days; SS4A demonstration grant pending

County Engineer Glenn Peek told the Walker County Commission on May 4 that work on the Airport Runway Rehab Project will begin next Monday and is expected to shutter the runway for an estimated 60 to 90 days, depending on weather.

"The runway will be shut down starting next Monday for 60 to 90 days. It depends on how the weather is how that project goes," Peek said, adding that he notified affected users with letters, emails and posted signs.

Peek also reported current paving work on Old Highway 78 (Kansas area) and a section of Empire Road, and said striping crews began work the morning of the meeting. He told commissioners that striping crews "might come and go" as the work proceeds and that the county has lists of roads slated for striping and signage.

On federal funding, Peek said Walker County received the planning portion of an SS4A grant and is awaiting a mid‑May decision on a demonstration grant that would fund temporary safety measures such as signage and striping. "The implementation part, if it's awarded, we will probably be trying for about Ten Million for that, so the County will have matching funds for that," he said, describing the larger package the county would pursue to support paving, striping and other roadway safety work.

Peek estimated simple paving costs at about $130,000 per mile, noting that figure excludes patching, leveling and striping. "If we have any way to generate more funds we definitely need to," he said.

The runway closure and grant timetable are operationally significant for airport users and for county road projects that could be tied to grant funding; the commission did not take additional action on the airport item at the meeting beyond the engineer's report.