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Runway lighting grant awarded but upgrade project on hold as bids exceed estimates
Summary
Staff told the Fall City Council that the state awarded a grant to replace runway and taxiway lighting, but recent bids came back far higher than engineer estimates (tariffs cited), adding roughly $300,000 and pushing the project beyond Department of Aeronautics' automatic funding increase limits; staff recommended pausing until the Department advises next steps.
City staff informed the Fall City Council that the airport’s runway and taxiway lighting system—last replaced in 1995—requires replacement and that the state had awarded a grant, but new bid results have made the project uncertain.
Staff said engineers and bidders reported higher-than-expected costs, attributing increases in part to tariffs on lighting components; updating the engineer’s estimate would add about $300,000. Under Department of Aeronautics policy, grant funding can typically be adjusted only up to a specified percentage (about 15%); the projected increase exceeds that threshold, so the Department is reviewing whether it can accommodate the higher price.
Staff said one option is to fund engineering work now and seek a follow-up grant for full construction later; another is to defer the project pending confirmation from the Department of Aeronautics. The staff speaker said they are waiting for the Department’s recommendation and therefore recommended no council action tonight.
Clarifying details: lighting was last installed in 1995; staff estimate an additional roughly $300,000 would be needed beyond current awards to complete the project based on recent bid information. The Department of Aeronautics review is pending.
