Council approves plans and bid date for airport pavement rehab; project contingent on grant funding

The Faribault City Council approved plans and specifications and established a bid date for the airport airfield pavement rehabilitation project, a package of work focused on apron areas and taxi lanes that staff said will address cracking and subgrade issues.

Director Travis Block described the scope: full-depth removal and reconstruction in portions of taxi lane E, mill-and-overlay and patching in other taxiways, storm sewer and subdrain improvements, and apron work including reinstalling tie-downs. He said parts of the project are ineligible for federal funding because of proximity to buildings, increasing the local sponsor’s share for those pieces.

Block presented a funding breakdown he described in the meeting: federal entitlement and other federal funding totaling a little over $1.1 million, a state contribution of about $31,185, and a local airport fund contribution described in the presentation as approximately $179,650 (staff also referenced a conservative $200,000 estimate for local participation). Block said the city has been banking federal entitlement funds and will apply for a grant; he emphasized that award and construction are contingent on receiving that grant.

The council asked about operational impacts and sequencing; Block said the construction sequencing and NOTAMs will limit disruption and that the most significant closures will be where full-depth reconstruction is required. The schedule presented targets bid opening on June 4, contract award June 10, construction starting August 18 and final completion in October, assuming grant award. Council approved the resolution to set plans/specs and the bid date.