MORRIS – The Morris City Council is set to take action Monday on two expenses to move the Morris Municipal Airport runway extension project along.
The city’s Airport Committee this week approved recommendations to the council to spend almost $15,000 on wire work required for the runway to be extended.
The Morris Airport runway extension project will allow larger aircraft to take off and land at Morris airport. When completed, the runway will be 5,500 feet long, have a new surface and include precision lights to make landings easier.
The runway extension is the first of many improvement projects scheduled in the next five years aimed at making the airport more compatible for corporate jets.
In order to move forward with the project in the spring, Mayor Richard Kopczick said Friday that underground AT&T lines there need to be relocated and enclosed in conduit.
The city council Monday will be asked to approve $10,891 to relocate the lines and $3,908 to Ayers Electric to install 600 feet of 4-inch conduit, 600 feet of 2-inch conduit and 1,200 feet of pull line and for the rental of a trencher for the project.
“It’s all in preparation for the runway extension,” Kopczick said. The city will seek reimbursement from the state and Federal Aviation Administration for the costs.
At the Airport Committee meeting Wednesday, city officials also discussed the Transportation Improvement Program meeting the city had with the state recently. The program looks at airport projects planned in the next five years so the city, state and FAA can plan for funding accordingly, Kopczick said Friday.
Final plans for funding will not be decided until next month. But the city and state officials discussed constructing the runway protection zone for the airport as a Class C Airport zone for the future. The city airport is a B airport, Kopczick said. The Class C category services larger aircraft, which is the hope for the Morris airport’s future.
Widening of the runway from 75 feet to 100 feet in width also was discussed, as well as overlaying and re-striping the runway to allow for heavier aircraft.