Agency Will Pay for Design Of Safety Improvements It Says Are Needed

The FAA has offered to pay almost $145,000 for the design of safety improvements it says are needed at Lake Wales (FL) Municipal Airport (X07). The city would be required to match about $8,000 for the plans.

The airport has as part of its master plan an extension of Runway 6-24. A task order was approved by the City Commission for a local design firm it has had under contract since 2011 to work on the master plan to design the 1,400 foot extension of the runway from 4,000 feet to 5,400 feet.

The online site NewsChief.com reports that the firm, Hoyle, Tanner & Associates, has been working with the FAA on short- and long-term plans with the agency, but that the runway extension and realignment of a taxiway are low on its priority list, according to Lake Wales Public Services Administrator Teresa Allen.

The agency has asked the city to evaluate the taxiway realignment for safety reasons. They also say the entrance road to the airport needs to be repaired before looking at the runway extension.

The city estimates that the cost of the runway extension will be between $4.3 and $5.3 million.

FMI: www.faa.gov, Airport Master Plan Draft