Branch County Memorial Airport project delayed again over supply chain challenges
BRANCH COUNTY — Winter weather and supply chain issues will delay again the now $1.2 million taxi-way expansion and improvements at Branch County Memorial Airport.
Airport manager Joe Best said the contractor informed him asphalt plants closed for the winter before the work could be started. Part of the problem came because Congress did not approve a stopgap bill — which funds the government through Dec. 16 — until Sept. 30.
The 90% federal match funding for the airport project was not available until after Oct. 1.
Best said there were delays in obtaining gravel and concrete for the job.
“The electrical vaults, the cast covers for those, and the cast covers for catch basins to drain the apron” were not available for October construction, the company told Best.
The airport manager said, “the contract is set up for all the deliveries in March or April,” and work should start then. “It’s not critical at this point. It would just be nice to have it done.”
Planning to expand and reposition the taxiways around the terminal and fixed base operation started in 2016. The work is safety-related due to congestion around the fueling station with increased private jet traffic. In 2021, 47 jets used the airport, records showed.
The original cost estimate was $465,000. In 2019, the estimate rose to $565,000. Cost increased in 2020 to $630,000 as COVID-19 closed most projects. A request to increase the paved area raised the estimate to $960,000 when bid this May, the low bidder was $1.2 million.
Other airport projects in Michigan were canceled because of the increased costs. That helped Branch County. The Michigan Department of Transportation used part of its unused money to pay the increase in its 5% contribution up from $45,000 to $60,000. The airport came up with its increased share at $60,000.
Changes will improve airplane traffic on the ground by removing some taxiways and shifting others for ground safety. Work will add a 64,800-square-foot apron to the north of the current taxiway at Elite Air Service.
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The airport board recently installed large signs both along the roadway and on the taxi strip to identify the terminal building. “Some pilots were confused since there were no signs,” instead thinking EAS, the fixed-based operator, was also the terminal.
The local pilots association provided $1,200 toward the costs. Best will install solar lighting on the signs.
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DReidTDR.
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Supply chain issues gum up $1.2M project at Branch County Airport
