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Commission hears bid plan for runway rehab as FAA, KDOT funding cuts local share
Summary
Engineering consultant Caleb Coltrane told the Schmooze City Commission the airport’s runway and apron work will be bid with two options — a mill-and-overlay and a full-depth reclamation — and that recent FAA and KDOT grant terms sharply reduce the city’s local share if the work proceeds this year.
Caleb Coltrane of Garber, the city’s airport engineering consultant, updated the Schmooze City Commission on a planned runway rehabilitation and apron work, telling commissioners the city will seek bids for two construction options and will pursue available FAA and KDOT grants.
Coltrane said the recently completed apron and south taxiway rehabilitation removed failing concrete panels and that grant close‑out paperwork is underway. For the runway, Garber will advertise two alternatives: the traditional mill-and-overlay with targeted full‑depth patching, and a full‑depth reclamation that recycles on‑site material with cement stabilization to produce a stronger base and a longer pavement life.
Why it matters: Coltrane said this year’s funding environment makes action attractive. The FAA has offered a larger share for certain projects (reducing the local share from the usual 10% toward 5%), KDOT has a program to cover half of the local share, and state “Build Kansas” funds can lower the city’s out‑of‑pocket cost further. Coltrane estimated the overall project at roughly $2.6–3.5 million; depending on final formulas and option chosen, the city’s local share could be on the order of tens of thousands of dollars this year rather than a quarter‑million if the work is delayed.
Commissioners asked about compliance and schedule. Coltrane said a recent pavement survey showed thickness and longitudinal grades remain within compliance and that the primary issue is age and cracking. He said bids will be issued next week with openings toward the end of May and that the FAA approved bidding both options. If the city delays, Coltrane warned, deterioration will worsen and reconstruction costs will rise.
Coltrane also described a separate KDOT‑funded fuel‑farm project to install self‑serve tanks at the apron. The project is estimated at about $750,000; KDOT has committed roughly half for an initial phase, with the potential for a second phase next year to add a second tank (Avgas or Jet A). He said state funding makes earlier replacement feasible rather than waiting for lower‑priority FAA funding cycles.
No action was required tonight; Coltrane said a KDOT grant offer is expected before July 1 and that staff will return with a grant‑acceptance item and a contractor award after bids are opened.
