CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than $35 million in construction is currently taking place at Yeager Airport in Charleston.
On Wednesday, the airport’s construction committee met for its monthly meeting of updates on those projects but it went a little differently. The committee went out on a tour of the construction jobs going on.
Yeager Airport Director Terry Sayre is proud of the improvements taking place right now and says it will help the local tax base.
“It provides a lot of local jobs,” he said. “Each one of these contractors is employing local people. There are a lot of local people going to work here and we are very happy to be able to contribute to that.”
The first stop on the tour was a viewing of the Runway 5 project, which is rebuilding what collapsed in March 2015. The contractors were continuing to put geofoam blocks into place along the hillside as steel was already standing.
Sayre said while there is still dirt that needs to be placed down, the group is making great progress and has around 25 percent of the blocks down.
Next, the committee checked out the fencing project near the Airport Response Coordination Center. Sayre said 90 percent of the fence near the center is complete as the project then turns to fence off the A Gate.
Lastly, the group saw roadway that is being put into place over the General Aviation Area. The GA Roadway is going around the back side of the airport and will play a major role in access to Yeager.
The roadway could potentially be used by Marshall University if the institution approves the aviation school at the airport.
Sayre said the school is scheduled to have a Board of Governors vote on the subject in June.
“That’s my understanding,” he said. “I don’t know how that is going to go but we are optimistic. I hope it works out to everyone’s benefit.
“It’s a great partnership, I think it’ll be good for the university and the airport, as well.”
In February, Marshall signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Southern Utah University to cooperate in exploring options to jointly offer a four-year bachelor’s degree in aviation to teach students to fly helicopters.
The fourth major project continuing is the Solar Project which is going to implant solar panels to power the parking garages and lots.
Sayre said he hopes to have all four major projects finished by the end of August.
“We know it all depends on the weather and material,” he said. “There’s a lot of other construction going on in the state right now that we have to compete with for supplies and material.”
Discussed before the tour were repairs to the Jet Bridge C-3, which is over 15 years old, and PFC projects inside the airport.
The committee approved a motion to propose to the airport’s board next week for up to $100,000 to be used on the C3 rehab from the airport’s reserve fund.
The PFC projects include new roofing through experts like this roofing company in Lowell, restrooms, a restaurant entrance, and a PA system.
For the most part, the work has been smooth sailing according to Sayre.
“The only delay we had was some last fall with the rebuild of the Five-End wall just because of the weather,” he said. “For this spring, the weather has cooperated greatly and it’s all going very well so far.”