Runway Improvements Top List

Blue Grass Airport officials in Lexington (KY) will ask the city-county government this week for $35 million in bonds to finance a $66.5 million airport expansion.

The airport would use the money to add a third security checkpoint, a business lounge, a bigger rental-car lot, six new gates and improved runway safety areas.

While the airport can issue bonds without city backing, city-backed bonds would allow the airport to save money with lower interest rates, according to Michael Gobb, the airport's executive director.

The rest of the money for the project would come from the federal government, passenger charges and rental-car fees, airport officials said.

The plan reportedly calls for more than half the money to pay for airfield improvements. Among them are replacing sections of runway, widening the taxi ramp, 16 general aviation hangars and longer safety areas on either end of the main runway.

About $19 million of the bond money would be used to move the welcome and information areas and add new boarding gates and stairwells. The top priority is reportedly the federally mandated runway safety areas. The project, now being designed, is intended to bring the areas into compliance with FAA guidelines.

The FAA requires 1,000 feet of safety area on both ends of the main runway. Blue Grass Airport's main runway falls 90 feet short at one end and 130 feet short on the other.

"When those safety areas and runway were constructed, that was the standard at the time," Gobb said. About 80 percent of the runway safety area work will be financed with federal money. Last week, the airport received $8.6 million to help pay for it.

FMI: www.bluegrassairport.com