A cracked runway does not make for a smooth landing. That is why the 5,500-foot runway at Bill Pugh Field Airport will be getting an update, with help from a federal grant as well as state and local sponsors.
“We are planning to use the grant money to seal the cracks in the runway, reseal the entire runway and restripe it,” said Harry Mattox, airport manager and flight instructor.
The total cost of the project is $183,222.00. However, 90 percent of the cost ($164,900.00) is covered by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration to “rehabilitate runway and remove obstruction,” as stated in the grant agreement.
“This is something we really need,” said Mattox, adding that the airport has existed since the 1960s. “It is important to keep the airport updated to attract new industry to the area.”
Since he first began working at the airport in 2000, Mattox has seen $5.5 billion dollars in grants be awarded to the airport for updates such as extending the runway from 3,000 feet to 5,500 feet to accommodate corporate aircrafts. In the future, Mattox plans to apply for more federal grants to continue to make the airport industry-friendly.
“We are located right beside industrial park, which makes us convenient to use,” said Mattox. “When industry looks at this area, I want them to see that the airport has everything they need.”
Some of Mattox’s future plans include extending the airport’s current ramp to accommodate future aircraft and installing an Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) to broadcast current weather conditions at the airport to pilots 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Since the federal government has taken care of 90 percent of the cost, the other 10 percent ($18,322.00) will be coming from state and local sponsors. Both the Alabama Department of Transportation and the City of Russellville will be paying five percent each, which amounts to $9,161.00.
“Earlier this year, we applied for the grant,” said Russellville mayor David Grissom. “It’s a big deal that we received the grant for the airport. We are very appreciative of it. The airport is important for our economic development.
“Fixing this maintenance type of issue will help extend the life of the runway for another ten years.”
