Andalusia City Council Approves Airport Improvement Project
Noel Warren
Aug 8
2 min read
The Andalusia City Council approved seven items during its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, June 1, including the authorization of an agreement for a major improvement project at the South Alabama Regional Airport. Airport Executive Director Jed Blackwell presented two grants for taxiway rehabilitation projects scheduled for fiscal year 2025. The total project cost is $1,265,133. “These grants are part of our capital improvement program. We applied for them back in April, and for approximately $1.26 million, we are contributing $31,000 toward the project. Work is set to begin in September and should be completed around Christmas,” Blackwell said.
The project, designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood, will rehabilitate 7,560 linear feet of taxiway, including connectors. The rehabilitation process involves milling 2 inches of the existing taxiway surface and replacing it with 2 inches of Federal Aviation Administration-approved asphalt, followed by new striping. The project is primarily funded by the FAA, which will contribute $1,097,763 or 87 percent of the total cost. The FAA’s share includes a $1,042,874 contribution under its standard funding program. Additionally, the Alabama Department of Transportation and SARA will each cover 2.5 percent of the cost or $27,444 each. Under the FAA’s Airport Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the airport will also receive an infrastructure grant of $167,370, which covers 13 percent of the project’s funding. The FAA will contribute $159,022 or 95 percent of that amount, while ALDOT and SARA will each provide $4,184 and split the remaining 5 percent evenly.
“Over the years, our airport has secured more than $61 million in grants, and we’re very proud of that. We will continue working hard for the citizens of Andalusia and Covington County,” Blackwell said.
