The city’s first new airport master plan in more than 20 years will help set future projects and secure federal funding for Harrel W. Timmons Galesburg Regional Airport.
Alderman tonight will be asked to approve a consultant agreement with Hanson Engineering for the Airport Master Plan Update project. The project is funded by Federal, State and Local funds with the city’s share of the project being $13,794.
To program and obtain funding for future airport projects, it is required that the city update its Airport Master Plan. The Airport Master Plan was last updated in 2004.
Aaron Gavin, Director of Public Works and also airport manager, tells WGIL the purpose of the Airport Master Plan is to provide the framework needed to guide future airport development and rehabilitation projects.
“It is important to update these plans periodically, as aviation demands and uses at airports evolve over time and FAA airport design standards change,” Gavin said. “One important component of the Airport Master Plan is the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) which shows planned projects at the airport and is reviewed and accepted by the FAA.
“Proposed developments and projects must be shown on an approved ALP for the City to receive federal funding for airport capital projects, so it is important to keep it current to ensure we are able to go after funding for the airport.”
A normal Airport Master Plan lasts 10 years, according to Gavin, “So we are well overdue.”
Gavin said he expects to gain a clearer picture of the future projects that will support the needs of the airport and its users.
“Many of those projects may be rehabilitating the existing infrastructure that we have and bringing it up to current design standards,” Gavin said.
“Ultimately, this will be an important planning tool as we prioritize where to allocate funding while also ensuring that we can continue to get the funding that we need to promote continued success at the airport and be able to take advantage of future growth opportunities.”
Among the upgrade projects scheduled for Harrel W. Timmons Galesburg Regional Airport this year is a plan to rehabilitate and expand the existing parking lot and entrance road to the airport, and also install a new fuel island for fueling aircraft. The new fuel island will be relocated to a more desirable location and be brought into compliance.
Gavin also said the city is evaluating the future of the vacant terminal building on site.
The City Council meet starts at 6 p.m. today in Galesburg City Hall.
