Commissioners plan airport expansion
The Washington County commissioners plan to ask the state Department of Community and Economic Development to approve a $1 million addition to the 2014 list of local share projects from revenue generated by The Meadows Racetrack & Casino to expand an apron, taxiways, roads and hangar space at Washington County Airport.
A year ago this week, the state Transportation Commission allocated $2.6 million to the county airport in North Franklin and South Franklin townships for the expansion – after the local share application deadline – so the proposed project was not part of the public hearings held in January, or the list the commissioners are required to forward to DCED for final approval.
William McGowen, executive director of Washington County Redevelopment Authority, which oversees operation of the county-owned airport, said $300,000 of local share money is being used for engineering and design by L.R. Kimball and Associates, with the remainder to be used for earth-moving and construction. The 4.8-acre piece of ground is wooded and its 15-foot slope will have to be leveled. The state will also have to evaluate the environmental impact of the earth-moving.
The redevelopment authority plans to have concrete pads poured, but the project does not include actual construction of the four hangars, shown on plans as measuring 100 by 120 feet. The project will “create room for businesses that want hangars at the airport,” McGowen said. “We’ll start out with one.”
The work is planned for the north side of the airport, slightly east of the Audia/Washington Penn Plastics hangar.