HIGHFILL -- Board members approved a nonbinding resolution June 1 to issue bonds to build a four-story parking deck at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport.
"We're about to incur some significant costs," said board chairman Mike Johnson.
The resolution would make cost incurred in preparation for building the deck reimbursable from the bond sale, according to Scott Van Laningham, executive director.
The resolution calls for issuing not more than $40 million of bonds. The bonds will be issued later.
The resolution is a declaration of the board's official intent to finance part of the cost of the parking.
The board in March approved preliminary plans for the deck with a roof. The structure is estimated to cost $30 million to $35 million.
The deck is expected to add 1,400 parking spaces. It will be built in front of the terminal. Construction is expected in 2017 and 2018.
The structure also will house car rental companies initially. A second deck likely will be built in the future for car rental companies.
The board also agreed in March to pay Nabholz Construction $1.5 million for design work and related services.
On a related item, board members accepted a staff recommendation for the structure to be four stories with a roof rather than build it in a way to allow two levels to be added later. Aesthetics and the additional $3 million cost the design would require were cited as reasons for rejecting the idea.
In other action, Kelly Johnson, airport director, said initial testing is done to move flights back to the main runway. Some equipment needs to be repaired and moved, but officials hope to have the main runway reopened by late July.
The original main runway and base, as well as drainage and electrical work, had to be replaced because an alkaline reaction between aggregate and sand in the concrete mix caused cracks that became noticeable about four years after the airport opened. Moisture and de-icing solution exacerbated the problem. W.L. Harper was hired to make the repairs.
A taxiway was converted to serve as the primary runway during the project and is still being used.
The $26.1 million project should have been done by the end of 2013. The contract was let in June 2012. But the project was delayed by problems with the work and litigation between the airport and the contractor that ended in a settlement.
General News on 06/08/2016