Construction Of New Airport Months Ahead of Schedule
The Panama City – Bay County International Airport
Authority announced its intentions Wednesday to construct a
10,000-foot main runway at the new airport in West Bay, FL subject
to obtaining necessary permits and approvals. The Authority
previously authorized the design of the runway extension which
takes this runway from 8,400 feet to 10,000 feet, and this week
approved a thicker runway and centerline lighting to accommodate a
10,000 foot runway.
Earlier, the Airport Authority had approved an 8,400-foot
concrete runway with the option to extend it to 10,000 feet, if
funding became available. The Florida Legislature, during its 2008
legislative session, awarded the airport an additional $4.5 million
in funding to lengthen the runway to 10,000 feet.
The Airport Authority has begun the permitting process for the
runway extension. The change in runway length is not expected to
impact the construction schedule. The Airport Authority currently
expects to open the new airport on Memorial Day 2010, with the
10,000 foot runway completed.
"We appreciate the tremendous support we have received from the
State of Florida for this new airport," said Airport Authority
Chairman Joe Tannehill. "The State knows how important this new
facility is to the future of air service and economic development
in Northwest Florida. It is an investment in the future of the
Panhandle - and the future of Florida. This new runway will be the
only 10,000 foot commercial runway in the Northwest Florida
region."
"From the beginning, our goal has been to build a new airport
capable of serving the transportation and economic development
needs of our region for decades to come," said Tannehill. "The
longer runway will put us in the strongest possible position to
compete for better air service and large aviation-dependent
economic development projects."
"Our focus now must turn to marketing our new facility to
commercial airlines, transportation and logistics businesses and
other aviation and defense companies we have targeted as potential
tenants of the new airport," said Tannehill. "We are committed to
improving the region's air service and expanding the economic base
of Northwest Florida."
Construction of the $318 million state-of-the-art airport began
in January 2008 and is now nearly three months ahead of schedule.
The runway has been graded and paving is scheduled to begin in
early October, four months ahead of schedule.
The two-mile long main airport entry road has been completed, 80
percent of the storm sewer pipes are in place and the parking
lot’s curbing and lime-rock base will be completed by the end
of September.
"Construction of the new airport is going very well," said Randy
Curtis, the airport’s executive director. "It is truly
amazing to see 10 years of planning coming to life."
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