Lincoln County approves airport pavement work: Libby, Eureka projects move forward

Lincoln County commissioners approved multiple awards for airport pavement maintenance and access-road work on April 8 after staff presented bid evaluations prepared by consultant Morrison-Maierle.

Libby pavement maintenance (federally funded schedule) was awarded with no county funding required. For Eureka pavement maintenance the board approved Option One, which includes county participation of $5,070 to fund a needed access-road repair; commissioners discussed funding sources and agreed to explore airport funds and to share costs as necessary. For the Libby access road the board approved Option Three (rehabilitate the access road under the federal schedule with no county cost) and awarded that work to Thompson Contracting; the board deferred parking-lot rehabilitation and curb-stop installation pending later funding decisions.

Scott Matthis, chairman of the Lincoln County Airport Board, urged prioritizing crack filling on the Eureka access road, noting: "if that pavement starts breaking up, then it's either going to have to be redone," and cautioned that delaying repair could increase future replacement costs. Staff noted that earlier bid-open deadlines were met and that timely awards support FAA grant processes and contractors' procurement schedules.

Actions taken included awarding the federally funded Libby pavement maintenance contract, approving Eureka Option One with a county contribution of $5,070 (to be explored within airport funding sources), and awarding Libby access-road rehabilitation to Thompson Contracting under Option Three. Several commissioners stressed the importance of confirming whether curb stops and parking-area rehabilitation are necessary before expending county funds.