Oklahoma commission opens multi-year airport construction plan, highlights Atoka relocation and Will Rogers expansion

The Oklahoma Aerospace and Aeronautics Commission on March 11 advanced a multi‑year airport construction package, approving several grant requests and opening the FY27–31 Airport Construction Program to public comment.

Commission Secretary Craig Campbell called for the vote after staff presented a 124‑slide ACP package and recommended additions. Nick, the department planner who briefed the commission, said the agency would move many projects into the ACP to allow public review and to position them for design and future construction grants.

The commission approved by roll call the addition of three immediate projects to the existing ACP: Ardmore Municipal’s Grumman Street sanitary sewer (Phase 3 utilities), a Clinton‑Sherman pavement rehabilitation phase, and OKC Will Rogers International’s Taxiway Golf 2, which staff described as enabling commercial development on the airport’s east side. Nick said the Will Rogers taxiway project has a total cost of about $7.6 million, with the department’s share roughly $3.0 million and a local share of about $4.6 million funded through pro‑growth appropriations.

Why it matters: Commissioners framed the vote as a step to put projects into a public comment stage so that designs and funding can be finalized. Nick said the ACP additions are “best‑case scenario” programming that will be refined during the public comment and bidding process, and that many projects will shift in timing and scope as designs and bids are completed.

The meeting devoted extended discussion to the Atoka relocation, which Nick described as one of the largest and most complex undertakings in recent state planning. He said FAA had concurred with the project justification and that an environmental assessment was under review; staff reported no “red flags” to date. The agency is planning staged funding: design‑only grants, followed by land acquisition and later construction grants. Nick estimated a minimum land need of about 850 acres and said the initial runway build could be a 4,000‑foot runway (with 5,000–6,000 feet as a longer‑term design goal). He estimated the initial runway work could cost roughly $11 million in an early phase and signaled that full build‑out estimates could be substantially higher depending on final scope and private investment.

Commissioners asked about location and acreage, and Nick said local negotiations for disposal or sale of the current airport parcel could affect the local funding share. Staff emphasized that most projects only proceed when the required state or federal funding is secured and recommended returning in May for formal approvals following public comment.

Other approvals: The commission approved site‑specific change orders and grant allocations discussed earlier in the meeting. Michelle presented several smaller contract change orders for T‑hangar and runway lighting work, and the board voted to approve items the staff recommended.

Next steps: The ACP will enter a public comment period, staff will refine project costs and schedules, and the commission is expected to consider final approvals at future meetings once design and procurement details are available.