Feds release $7.87M for airport terminal

The U.S. Department of Transportation released $7.87 million in federal construction funds, according to U.S. Sen. Kit Bond and U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, who both worked to secure the funding.

Airport officials hope to break ground on the Midfield Terminal between May 15 and June 1.

Through the Transportation-Treasury-Housing and Urban Development spending bill, the airport is guaranteed an annual $5 million in federal funding through 2008, and a provision tied to the 2006 bill added another $2.87 million. After three years, the Federal Aviation Administration will not provide funding unless approved by the secretary of Transportation.

The bidding process for site work began March 1, said Kent Boyd, director of public information and marketing for the airport, and the airport board is expected to approve a bid at its April meeting. Completion of the terminal is set for late 2009 or early 2010.

“It’s a pretty aggressive schedule,” Boyd said. “We’re trying to push this forward as fast as we can, mainly because there is such a demand for that new space with the huge increase we’ve had in passengers.”

In 2005, 888,738 passengers traveled through the airport, a 23 percent increase over the previous year. Numbers for 2006 already are high, as 60,010 passengers were reported in January, a 15 percent increase over January 2004.

The first round of funding will be used to carry out the first phase of the terminal’s construction – tree removal, foundation preparation and drainage work, Boyd said. The next step will be to build a concrete apron around the terminal, and construction of the actual building will begin in spring 2007.

The total cost for the terminal construction is pegged at $119 million, not including $8.5 million for the design work, Boyd said.

Aside from federal funding, the airport will issue bonds and pull designated funds from its operating budget to pay the remainder of the cost.

This story originally appeared in SBJ’s March 1 free e-news Daily Update. Click here to register.