CAPE AIRPORT READY FOR IMPROVEMENTS OF NEARLY $500,000

Nearly $500,000 in airport improvements are slated for this fall and early next year, thanks to a state block grant awarded recently to the city of Cape Girardeau.

Airport Manager Randy Holdman said the $484,789 grant is the first installment on a Missouri Highway and Transportation Department aviation division program. The program will fund improvements totalling $3.14 million at the Cape Girardeau Municipal Airport.

This year's grant, accepted this week by the city council, will fund:

20Completion of the terminal building renovation project, but with the Federal Aviation Administration picking up a greater share of the costs, and renovation of the building's parking lot.

20Acquisition of an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle.

20Water line construction and ramp reconstruction.

"This will cover us through this year and the beginning of next year," Holdman said. "There's going to be some additional money coming along for apron expansion, taxiway construction and some other projects."

Public Works Director Doug Leslie said the grant money will enable the city to deal with several airport needs.

"It certainly will be a busy construction schedule for the next year, completing these projects," Leslie said. "The bulk of those projects in our development plan will be initiated and under construction next year."

The vast majority of funding for the projects will come from the FAA, channeled to the city through a state block grant program.

Of the $3.14 million total improvement program, $2.8 million will come from federal funds and $157,000 each from the state and city.

This year, the additional terminal building funding will amount to $116,500, Leslie said. Another $202,500 is earmarked for a fire and rescue vehicle for the airport.

The vehicle will replace an older and smaller vehicle, Leslie said.

"The small truck that we had was somewhat antiquated and can't be used for training purposes," Leslie said. "Every time you discharged the chemical, it had to be recharged.

"This new equipment can be used on an off-on basis training and testing."

Leslie said he hopes the parking lot improvements can be completed this fall to complement the newly renovated terminal building.

Holdman said he expects construction to commence within a few weeks. "That's really going to put a nice facelift on the parking area around our new terminal," he said. "There will be new curbs, lighting, shrubbery.

Although the city was awarded nearly $500,000 in grants this year, Leslie said it's not something officials can count on in the future.

"The funding is based on a competitive application process, where your projects actually have to stand up against other airport needs across the state of Missouri," he said. "The state prioritizes airports based on their use, and I would think ours would rate fairly high."

Holdman said the projects that will be funded by the grant have been in the city's airport master plan since 1989. He said the Airport Advisory Board will consider revising the master plan next year.

Some of the potential projects include a proposal to extend the main runway 1,000 feet and emergency lighting for the runway.

Holdman also is optimistic that the city can regain an FAA threshold of 10,000 annual enplanements, which would qualify the airport for $400,000 in entitlement funds each year.

Although boardings slackened the past two years, the airport manager said they now appear to be on the rebound.

"There's a definite possibility that next year we'll be hitting 10,000 boardings again," Holdman said. "I don't think we can get 10,000 boardings overnight, but it's on the way."

Holdman said it's more important to boost general aviation and economic development at the airport. He said if boardings then do increase, the entitlements could be used to foster additional growth.

"We have to let people know that we have land and facilities available at the airport," he said. "In these tight economic times, businesses are looking for a bargain, and we've got it for them."