Several future projects in store for Jefferson City Memorial Airport

The Jefferson City Memorial Airport has several big projects in store for the future, but none have the funding just yet.

About 90 percent of a project at the airport is funded through federal grants, like the $7 million project to reconstruct the main runway that was finished last year. The remaining 10 percent is funded through the city’s half-cent sales tax for capital improvements.

Throughout the next five to 10 years, the city will be working to get more federal dollars for a few different projects.

This week, the City Council approved an agreement with an engineering firm, Burns and McDonnell, to be the airport’s consultant for the next five years.

“That allows us to have continuity from one project to the next, but at the same time ensuring that we’re getting the best person to do the projects as we go forward,” said Britt Smith with Jefferson City Public Works.

Now that reconstruction of the main runway is complete, the first priority is to reconstruct the crosswind runway. The entire project would cost about $3.2 million including design and construction. The city hopes to start design work on the project next year, according to Smith.

“Pavement has a limited life,” Smith said. “… A chuckhole on the highway is an annoyance, but when a plane’s coming in at a high rate of speed making that landing, it can be a very dangerous thing.”

Next, the city plans to design and reconstruct the south taxiway for about $2.5 million.

Following that, the city will make repairs to the parking area around the terminal for about $700,000.

A nearly $3.7 million project is also planned for the air traffic control tower several years down the road.

The Jefferson City Memorial Airport has about 35,000 operations a year and nearly 70 based aircraft.