Home Notice Box Top Stories Work underway at the Greene County Airport

Work underway at the Greene County Airport

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XENIA — The air at the Greene County Airport smells of asphalt and heavy machinery, and for good reason: the improvement projects scheduled to begin there during the month of May are underway.

Dump trucks, asphalt milling machines, excavators and plenty of other rigs are rumbling around, digging, hauling and smoothing dirt and paving sections of the runway. While that work is completed, the airport is set to be closed through June 2.

The largest of the efforts, the resurfacing of the airport’s 337,500-square-foot runway, will see certain areas of the surface repoured and milled down before the entire surface is paved. As part of that project, a small taxiway will also be removed because of Federal Aviation Administration requirements, according to airport manager Dave Kushner. That project is estimated to cost $1.3 million.

The resurfacing project comes as the runway had begun to show signs of its age through cracks along its surface and soft spots underneath the surface. The runway was last paved about 10 years ago.

Construction is also underway on a 75,000-square-foot aircraft parking ramp and a 2,000-square-foot “run-up” area near the runway where pilots will be able to pull to the side to do pre-flight checks. Those two projects are expected to cost $1 million and $250,000, respectively. A new 7,500-square-foot corporate hangar – which is expected to cost about $450,000 – will also be added as part of this round of construction.

The projects – minus the hangar – are scheduled to be completed before the June 2, when the airport is scheduled to reopen.

Crews work to haul dirt in to build up an area near the end of the airport’s runway.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/05/web1_work1.jpgCrews work to haul dirt in to build up an area near the end of the airport’s runway. Nathan Pilling | Greene County News

Crews work to pave and mill down the airport’s runway.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/05/web1_work3.jpgCrews work to pave and mill down the airport’s runway. Nathan Pilling | Greene County News

A dump truck waits to be filled as part of the runway resurfacing project.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/05/web1_work4.jpgA dump truck waits to be filled as part of the runway resurfacing project. Nathan Pilling | Greene County News

Greene County Airport Manager Dave Kushner points out the area where the new airport hangar and ramp will be constructed.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/05/web1_work5.jpgGreene County Airport Manager Dave Kushner points out the area where the new airport hangar and ramp will be constructed. Nathan Pilling | Greene County News

Crews work to pave and mill down the airport’s runway.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/05/web1_work6.jpgCrews work to pave and mill down the airport’s runway. Nathan Pilling | Greene County News

Crews work to pave and mill down the airport’s runway.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/05/web1_work2.jpgCrews work to pave and mill down the airport’s runway. Nathan Pilling | Greene County News

Reach Nathan Pilling at 937-502-4498 or on Twitter @XDGNatePilling.