Council approves next phase in Cape Airport taxiway construction

Cape Girardeau City Council members voted unanimously to authorize Kenneth Haskin, city manager, to execute an agreement for construction phase services for reconstruction of Taxiway B at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport at their Tuesday meeting.

The agreement with Crawford, Murphy, and Tilly Inc. is for the preparation of construction plans and project manual, materials testing, provide on-site construction oversight and construction administration. The $314,811 agreement -- approved as part of the consent agenda at the meeting -- will be funded entirely by grants from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief And Economic Security Act, a $2 trillion aid package passed by Congress in 2020.

"This agreement is basically the construction, and reconstruction, of Taxiway B out at the airport," Haskin said at the meeting

Taxiway B is one of six at the airport and is commonly used by larger aircraft. The Missouri Department of Transportation gave the airport a 68 out of 100 rating when it conducted Pavement Condition Inventory in January 2021 as part of the National Plan for Integrated Systems. The inventory was designed to provide assistance for maintenance and repair plans, according to the Council meeting agenda.

Taxiway B was the lowest rated surface, garnering just a 28 out of 100. The taxiway will be demolished from Runway 10-28 to the apron and will be reconstructed. The reconstruction also includes new airfield lighting and signage, as well as drainage improvements, among other things.

The reconstructed taxiway will be 50 feet -- 25 feet smaller than its current iteration, -- still falling in line with guidelines to support Critical Design Aircraft such as Boeing 737s. A portion of the improved Taxiway B will be named A2 because of Federal Aviation Administration guidelines to eliminate direct access from the apron to the runway.

Airport manager Katrina Amos said a timeline has not been set because the airport is waiting on a grant receipt and approval from the FAA. Amos said she expects the project to begin in the next few weeks.

Council members also approved authorization for Haskin to execute the eight addendum to the city's Professional Service Agreement with Alliance Water Resources. Cape Girardeau entered into an agreement with Alliance in 2007 for operation and maintenance services to the city's water supply and distribution systems, according to the meeting agenda.

The addendum changes the responsibility of vehicle insurance from Alliance to the city starting July 1. Responsibility has bounced between the two in the past. Cape Girardeau recently bid for new insurance, making it the city's responsibility.

In other business, Council members:

• Accepted improvements and authorized $736,122 in final payments to Nip Kelley Equipment Co. for five bids for street improvements funded by Capital Improvement Sales Tax.
• Accepted improvements as part of the Cypress Road Watermain Extension.
• Appointed Eric Craiglow to the Golf Course Advisory Board for a term expiring Sept. 4, 2023.