DOBSON — The final phase of a runway expansion project got a nod of approval to continue last week.
According to airport authority member and Surry County Commissioner Larry Johnson, the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation has agreed to increased grant funding to see the runway expansion project at the Mount Airy-Surry County Airport through to completion.
In May, the airport board, which consists of the five county commissioners and two members appointed by the city of Mount Airy, learned that the final phase of an ongoing project to lengthen, widen and harden the runway at the airport would cost more than expected.
The lone bidder for the final portion of the project was Carl Rose & Sons Construction, which offered its services to repave and add new lighting to the runway for $4.9 million. However, that figure is nearly $1 million more than what was budgeted for the project and what the state offered in grant monies.
The county was faced with three options, according to contracted engineer Jeff Kirby. The scope of the project could be changed. However, different plans for the project came in more expensive, and there would be little left to change. The board could also reject the bid, but if authority members opted for that course of action, a new set of bids could be even more expensive than the offer on the table from Carl Rose & Sons.
Kirby noted a third option was to go back to the Division of Aviation in an effort to garner more funds from the state agency, and the authority instructed Kirby to take that course of action.
Though he expected the Division of Aviation to take months to consider the request for increased grant dollars, Johnson noted the state agreed to fund the overage amount in less than 30 days of receipt of the request.
Surry County will have to pay a 10-percent match on the increased grant funding, which will cost county taxpayers an extra $97,500.
“It concerned me,” said Johnson of his thoughts after hearing the of the project’s costs at the May meeting.
However, Johnson said he can cast his concerns aside, as the extra state dollars will allow the project to be completed with only the additional 10-percent match coming from county coffers.
The authority approved the contract with Carl Rose & Sons at its June meeting on Thursday.
“Our goal is to be done by the end of the year,” said Johnson after noting work should begin soon on the final phase of the project.
That stated, Johnson said local aviators and the companies which use the airport will have to endure 40 days without it, as the airport runway will have to be shut down for that period of time as it is repaved.
Johnson said county officials expect the shutdown to occur around September.
“I’m excited about the airport,” said Johnson. “All we can do is hope that the expansion will benefit Surry County.”