The Plymouth Municipal Airport was recently notified that they received a million-dollar grant from the FAA for the construction of a taxiway.
Bill Sheley, airport manager said the grant will fund the first phase of the project which includes grading and drainage of the proposed taxiway which will lay north of the current runway. He told WTCA that 2,000 square yards of dirt will be removed to make the taxiway even with the runway. That dirt removed will be placed on a strip of property at the northeast end of the airport that has been farmed for years but this year wasn’t because of this project.
The project will begin is last September and the low bidder, E.B. Brown will have 56 days to complete the project.
Bids for the project came in considerably higher than estimated. The Plymouth Airport was fortunate enough to receive $41,000 from the Kendallville Airport when they were unable to get their project completed.
Sheley said phase II is paving and lighting. That project is estimated to be $1.2 to $1.5 million. The Plymouth Airport will apply for another grant in early 2022 with hopes of completing the taxiway in the spring before Culver’s Summer Camp begins.
Sheley said typically the FAA provides 90% of the funds with the State and city each paying 5%. Because of COVID this year the federal grant is paying 100%.
