Warren County Memorial Airport is hitting the runway with a number of upcoming projects.

The airport is moving the threshold which will make the runway 300 feet longer and officials are getting new runway lighting, LED lighting for the runway and taxiway, and new approach lights that can guide in a plane. The state is also wanting to fix all the cracks in the runway.

County Executive Jimmy Haley, Airport Commission chair Keith Bouldin, and airport director Jim Dyer went to the Tennessee Aeronautic Commission and did a presentation requesting a grant for the lighting and resealing project for the runway.

“When we bid this project, we anticipated and I asked in the airport’s budget for $1.66 million. When the bids came in mid-June it actually was $1.91 million roughly, or $250,000 more than we anticipated,” said Dyer. “The state is so anxious to do this the state is willing to move $200,000 of that $250,000 into a program they already have running to resurface and reseal airports across the state. So they are willing to move $200,000 of that $1.91 million to this fund and this project where they think 100% we don’t have to do anything. It is in their budget and they do it. That leaves a cost of $1.71 million.”

Dyer says the matching local funds required for the project is 5%. 

“So it is a big deal and we are going to get a whole lot of bang for our buck,” said Dyer. 

In addition to the upcoming lighting and resealing, the wind socket has been replaced, the beacon is being replaced, and the tower is being repainted. A hangar refurbishment project was discussed in May and is expected to cost between $160,000 and $180,000. The airport also has another grant to help with a maintenance building.

Paperwork is still going through and the airport budget will need to be amended to account for the higher bid.