Friday, August 14, 2009

Airport upgrades incoming

Mercer County's airport has been slated to receive more than $500,000 in federal funding for rehabilitate the facility's ... thumbnail 1 summary

Mercer County's airport has been slated to receive more than $500,000 in federal funding for rehabilitate the facility's runway and taxi - way lighting, Southern West-Virginia's representatives in Washington, D.C. said on Thursday.

Mercer County Airport will receive $509,648 through the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport Improvement Program.

"We've let the contract for it," said Charlie Peters, president of the Mercer County Airport Authority. The system to be installed will flash different colors of lights to signal to approaching pilots whether they are too high or too low over the runway.

"It's pretty sophisticated," Peters said. "Of course, we're completing those 300 foot extensions on the runway. That's moving along."

Safety zones at both ends of the runway will help airplanes stop if they overshoot it while landing. Soft soil will help bring the planes to a halt; they are similar in concept to the runway truck ramps seen on the downhill grades of some major highways.

"This is a very positive development for Mercer County and the surrounding area," said U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. "This money will support a capacity project that will improve the efficiency of the National Airspace System, promote commerce in West Virginia, and improve the economy."

"Air travel is an essential component of the transportation network of our state, and the Mercer County Airport will help ensure the safety of those who use the airport and expand opportunities there for the long-term," said U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va.

U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va. vice-chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said, "Mercer County Airport provides an important hub of transportation in southern West Virginia, and I am glad to see funding coming back to our communities, reinvesting in this important infrastructure."