Barnes Regional Airport’s $7.6M Runway Rebuild Eyes September Completion
WESTFIELD – Construction is underway on the long-awaited, $7.6 million rebuilding of a secondary general aviation runway at Barnes Regional Airport with completion targeted for September.
The Federal Aviation Administration is paying for the majority of the work with $6,773,052 of the $7,635,984 price tag. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is kicking in $464,576.67 with thecity paying the remaining $398,355.33, According to Barnes Airport Manager Christopher Willenborg.
“The project scope includes reconstruction of Runway 15-33 at 5,000 feet long by 75 feet wide,” Willenborg said. “The last reconstruction project on Runway 15-33 was completed in the 1970s.”
Ward 6 City Councilor William Onyski said the FAA pays 90% of the project, and Mass DOT and the city each pay 5%. The work, he said, is beneficial to the local economy and keeps Barnes competitive with other area airports such as Westover Metropolitan Airport in Chicopee and Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn.
“Millions of dollars of work has been done at the airport,” Onyski said. “Hopefully it will pay off in getting business into the airport. It’s very competitive. This is an improvement that needs to be made at a small cost to the city.”
Willenborg said the City Council voted and approved of the bond authorization a year ago after the job had been in the planning for several years while awaiting the go-ahead from the FAA.
“It’s been on the books for a while,” he said. “The FAA has to prioritize between the airports in the New England region. It was worked into the funding cycle last year.”
Willenborg said he expects the reconstructed secondary crosswind runway to last as long as it previously did. The project began April 6 and is being done by E T & L Corporation of Stow, Mass., who was the lowest bidder on the bond.
“Usually the pavement has a useful life of 20 years,” he said. “In this case it lasted longer, but it was in very rough shape. We’re fortunate the way the funding worked.”
Part of the project includes the one-month curing period after which the runway will be grooved to increase aircraft breaking action in wet or snowy conditions, then the final markings will be painted on to it.
The runway will not be used by the 104th Fighter Wing F-15 jets, Willenborg said.
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