Upgrades continue at T. Falls airport

Upgrades to the Thompson Falls Airport are progressing. In 2020, the airport received $733,276 in federal grant funding for improvements including upgrades to the runway lighting.

"The 2020 grant was always intended to be coupled with a future 2021 project grant," said Lance Bowser, Airport Group Manager at Robert Peccia and Associates, the firm who has represented Thompson Falls and Plains airports since the mid-90s.

The $3.4 million project began its construction on July 6 of this year and is slated to be completed by Sept. 10.

Along with resurfacing and reconstructing the runways and taxiways, construction includes installation of a new runway guidance system. Bowser said the project will also include reconstruction of the airport access road and the addition of an airport parking apron.

The cost of the project came in very near to the engineer's original estimate. "The low bid was 16% below the engineer's estimate," Bowser said. "We had good construction bids. COVID hasn't caused any shutdowns and we've been able to continue work on the construction project."

Bowser did state they are experiencing minor delays in material availability, primarily in airport electrical. "That is probably caused by increased economic activity and other COVID related delays," he said.

The $3.4 million project is 90% funded by the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The AIP, Bowser says, is funded by a variety of different aviation fees.

"The remaining 10% for the fiscal years 2020 and 2021 was funded through coronavirus relief federal grants, resulting in zero local costs for this project," Bowser said. "This is basically a total reconstruction of the entire airport, including the airport electrical system. Everything has been going really well as far as construction goes."

Alongside Thompson Falls airport construction, Bowser is working on an ongoing pavement maintenance project at Plains airport

"This project involves seal coating and restriping," he said. "On top of that, we are pursuing GPS instrument approach procedures, which will help the airport be usable in inclement weather conditions and that is critical in hospital and emergency services."