CONSTRUCTION BEGINS TO TAKE OFF AT OKALOOSA AIRPORTS

Okaloosa County is taking the lead to make the local airports some of the best in the region. Some of the major work at the Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview is designed to attract more aeronautical company's desiring to expand. Look out Crestview.


Construction takes off at local airports
FAA to provide most of funding
By DUSTY RICKETTS dustyr@nwfdailynews.com

CRESTVIEW — Construction projects at Okaloosa County’s three airports are ready to begin. County commissioners recently approved construction contracts at Okaloosa Regional Airport, Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview and Destin Airport. The largest project is the nearly $2.6 million rehabilitation of the northern half of runway 17-35 at Bob Sikes. The 8,000-foot runway will be repaved and new lighting and guidance signs will be installed. “It will essentially be a new airport environment (when completed),” said county Airports Director Greg Donovan. The Federal Aviation Administration is funding 77.2 percent of the project. The remaining funds will come from the Florida Department of Transportation and the county. Donovan said construction is tentatively scheduled to start late this month or in early August. Most of the work will be completed at night to reduce the impact on the industrial park’s tenants. The job is expected to be completed in December. Okaloosa Regional Airport was recently redesignated in the FAA’s Military Airport Program, which helps existing and former military airfields with civilian aviation services. Under the MAP designation, the FAA will fund 95 percent of eligible projects. The first job is the $1.6 million aircraft apron on the east side of the airport. The 250-foot-by-300-foot apron will be large enough to park a 727 aircraft and a 757 plane at the same time. With the FAA funding 95 percent of the project, the local match is less than $50,000. Construction on the cargo apron is expected to start this fall. It will connect to the 12,000-square-foot cargomaintenance building now under construction as part of the airport’s $14 million expansion. The expansion also will include offices, service bays and hydraulic lifts, automated car washes, fuel pumps and vacuum islands for five rental car companies, additional rental car parking and a consolidated fuel farm for aircraft and vehicles. Construction is expected to be completed in April 2009. Destin Airport will see an upgrade to its navigational system. MAP funding also will help that project. Donovan said the existing aids are more than 20 years old and need replacing. Like the cargo apron, the FAA will fund 95 percent of the $123,275 job. Construction is expected to start in August. Daily News Staff Writer Dusty Ricketts can be reached at 863-1111, Ext. 1448.