City of Columbia wants FAA to help pay for airport repairs
The City of Columbia said it’s asking the Federal Aviation Administration to pay for 90 percent of the repairs needed for Runway 13-31.
Interim City Manager John Glasscock said at Wednesday’s Regional Economic Development Inc. meeting that the FAA has tentatively agreed to pay for 90 percent of the project, which is estimated to cost anywhere from $400,000 to $500,000.
The city said it has begun the documentation process in order to receive the funds from the FAA. However, as of Thursday morning, the FAA has not yet received a formal funding request from the city, said FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory.
City officials closed Runway 13-31 on Monday in order to fix the “crown” that caused pilots and passengers to feel a bump as they landed. Glascock said the repairs needed to be made due to safety concerns.
All Airport Improvement Program projects are eligible for 90 percent funding from the FAA, Cory said. However, the city has not yet formally requested the funding for the crown repair.
