CIP lines up potential plans for Cape Girardeau Regional Airport

The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport looks ahead to 2029 and beyond in the city's 2024-29 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) plan with projects including the ongoing construction of the airport's T-hangars, the reconstruction of the D, E, F taxiways and a potential Air Traffic Control Tower replacement.

The CIP is currently in its draft phase and is used as a planning tool for the city, the dates and costs for the projects aren't finalized. Some projects are labeled as contingent (CNT) meaning there isn't a date or time set aside it would or could happen.

The draft plan currently lists $40,577,990 in projects and other services for the airport. Parts of the project's suggested funding sources are listed as either a part of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), Capital Improvement Sales Tax (CIST), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grants, FAA grants, state funding, general fund, Missouri Department of Transportation or labeled "to be determined".

The ongoing t-hangar construction at the airport is listed as $2,900,000 in the CIP. Taxiway E and F reconstruction on the plan are listed under fiscal year 2025-26 for $4,100,000 and the Taxiway D reconstruction is listed as CNT for $3,100,000. Airport manager Katrina Amos said there have already been some changes to the plan and Taxiway D reconstruction will "most likely" come before E and F.

"Most likely, Taxiway Delta is going to be constructed separately and Echo (E) and Foxtrot (F) will be constructed together," Amos said. "The plan has shifted Taxiway Delta (D) will most likely be done first for a number of reasons, mostly because it is an easier project to complete the design. There is some FAA navigational aid cabling that will have to be relocated."

She said Taxiways E and F will require more coordination with the FAA technical operations division. Both projects' funding source is listed as AIP and BIL grants in the draft. Amos said they're currently in the design phase for both taxiways since City Council approved it.

There also is a project to put up fencing around the airport's perimeter in fiscal year 2026-27 for $3,400,000. Amos said the need for the fence comes from a wildlife hazard study done in 2014.

"One of the recommendations was to install an airport perimeter fence with a 4-foot skirt underneath to protect us against wildlife hazards that the airport that has been identified," Amos said. "That is just the plan to move forward with that recommendation as soon as the funding becomes available for that project."

For the other projects, there are fewer details available at this time.

Other projects

The rest of the projects amounting to or exceeding $1,000,000 are:

• taxiway access to the northwest quadrant is estimated to cost $1,000,000, fiscal year 2024-25, funding source suggested to be AIP;
• taxiway Alpha (A) rehabilitation estimated to cost $7,700,000, fiscal year 2025-26, funding source suggested as AIP;
• snow removal equipment storage facility estimated to cost $2,500,000, fiscal year 2026-27, funding sources suggested as AIP and general fund;
• airport road extension to Route M estimated to cost $4,629,000, CNT, funding suggested as MoDOT;
• access road and taxi line for northwest quadrant is estimated to cost $1,323,000, CNT, funding suggested as state funding and general fund;
• air traffic control tower replacement estimated to cost $4,500,000, CNT, funding source to be determined;
• fuel farm (two 20,000-gallon tanks for fuel) estimated to cost $1,000,000, CNT, funding source to be determined.

The rest of the projects listed for the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport in the CIP amount to:

• fiscal year 2024-29, $2,541,000;
• fiscal year 2029-34, $1,250,000;
• contingent, $634,990.

The public hearing for the CIP draft is set for Monday, March 4, at the Cape Girardeau City Council meeting.