Officials hope for progress on airport access

Access road to Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport is to coincide with U.S. 412 Bypass

— Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport officials are looking for ways to speed the process of building an access road to the airport.

Eventually, the road will run from a proposed new section of U.S. 412 to the airport, providing a faster, more direct route, according to Scott Van Laningham, airport general manager. When work begins on the highway, airport officials want to be ready to begin work on the access road.

“Our road has to coincide with the 412 Bypass,” Van Laningham said. “We just haven’t been making much progress, and I think we need some new folks to try and move this thing forward and finish it.”

CH2M Hill was hired about a decade ago to do the engineering on theroad but the company downsized its transportation division and moved from Tulsa, Okla., to Denver. Now, plans call for changing to another engineering firm to finish design work, oversee right-of-way acquisition and construction oversight. Staff will come to the board with a formal proposal later.

Tulsa-based airport consulting firm Bernard Dunkleberg & Co. will continue to do the environmental work on the project. That work was delayed and some had to be done again when the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department opted to move a proposed section of thehighway.

Right-of-way cannot be bought until the environmental work is done and the final environmental document approved.

“We’re trying to get through this environmental process,” Van Laningham said.

The board also approved a $1.5 million contract with Kimley Horne and Associates for design of a runway rehabilitation project. The cost is reimbursable from Federal Aviation Administration grant funds, but airport officials said they need to get work started on the project to obligate the money from a $10 million federal grant.

A chemical reaction in the runway pavement is making sections of concrete expand and crack, according to Kelly Johnson, airport executive director. The project could take two to four years to complete.

Other airports have experienced similar problems and there is no safety issue, but officials expected the runway to last longer. Eventually, the runway may have to be replaced.

Kimley Horne will do a forensic evaluation of the runway and taxiway pavement, and look at grading and drainage systems, design lighting, electrical,striping and signage and develop a project work plan.

The airport board also approved a $669,000 contract with APAC-Central to resurface roadway at the airport and a $99,900 contract to build a temporary emergency access road to the airport’s alternative landing surface. Johnson said the move is aimed at safety, in case there are issues with the main runway this summer.

News, Pages 2 on 06/08/2011