Planes being diverted 4 to 6 months for expansion
As the work to expand the runway at the Columbia-Marion County Airport enters into its next phase, the airport will be closed to air traffic beginning Monday.
The closure is slated to last four to six months. It is part of the $10.2 million project to upgrade the classification rating of the airport to a C2 from a B1. Once completed, the facility will be able to handle almost all of the jets used by businesses, with aims to serve both existing industries in Marion County and potential new ones.
The work is being completely funded by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Walters Construction was awarded the $7.2 million contract to lengthen and widen the runaway. The current runaway is 4,460 feet long and 70 feet wide. When the work is complete the runway will be 5,500 feet long and 100 feet wide. The dirt work is completed for the runway, and they are now ready to start extending the runway. In addition to the lengthening and widening of the runaway, work is being done to create 250 feet of runway safety area on each side of the runway in accordance with FAA rules.
The construction of the runaway and improvements have to strictly adhere to the FAA guidelines. The equipment being used to level the land has GPS to determine the depth and maintain the correct level of dirt work to stay within the guidelines.
According to Jeff Dungan, county engineer, the heavy part of the work at the airport should be completed by the end of September; however the final date of completion is not projected until December 2020.
In addition to the runway work, Beacon Construction is working on a $1.4 million relocation of Airport Road. The current intersection of Airport Road and Old Highway 35 runs into what will considered the Runway Protection Area, an area required by the FAA. The work on the relocation of Airport Road is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.
Airport Road was scheduled to be closed June 17 however that date is being delayed due to scheduling issues, Dungan said.
While technically not under the umbrella of the airport runway expansion, additional work is being done in surrounding areas to accommodate the expansion, including the closing of the city of Columbia’s rubbish pit next to the airport and road work on Harmony Road, which is also slated to begin on Monday.
