Poplar Bluff airport to close temporarily for major overhaul

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The Poplar Bluff Regional Business Airport will close to all fixed-wing aircraft beginning Wednesday so much-needed repairs can be made to the aging runway.

"The asphalt runway is literally crumbling away, and the decision was made by the {Federal Aviation Administration}, {Missouri Department of Transportation} and the city to invest in the airport's future," airport manager Gary Pride said.

The construction project "will completely replace the current runway with high-strength concrete," he said.

The approximately 40 aircraft based at the airport, Pride said, will be shuffled to neighboring airports during the closure.

Helicopters utilizing the ramp will be allowed to continue operations during the shutdown, he said.

A small, fixed-wing aircraft lands at the Poplar Bluff Regional Business Airport. Beginning Wednesday, air traffic at the facility will be restricted as a new runway is constructed.Paul Davis ~ Daily American Republic

"This is a disruption to the daily business aircraft, but they understand the improvement had to be done," Pride said.

In recent years, he noted, more and more large aircraft have tried to utilize the airport, but the condition of the asphalt runway hasn't allowed them to.

"Larger and heavier aircraft are landing at the airport and we see this trend continuing," Pride said. "Just last month, we had a large jet with a landing weight of over 60,000 pounds wanting to land, however, they couldn't with the existing runaway weaknesses. This won't be a problem a month from now."

At the same time, he noted, federal and state officials see the runway upgrade as a necessary investment in the economic growth of the region.

"They expect an economic boom to the region with the completion of I-57 and necessary infrastructure, such as the airport, need to stay ahead of the curve to prevent hampering of investment," Pride said.

Emery Sapp & Sons, the contractor for the new runway at the Poplar Bluff Regional Business Airport, has set up a concrete plant nearby to speed up the construction process.Paul Davis ~ Daily American Republic

While the project is slated to last 90 days, he said, the actual runway will only be closed for the first 30.

"A lot of activity will be happening at the same time, much like an assembly line," Pride explained. "The old surface will be coming up and the new going down right behind it."

The total project cost, he said, is expected to be around $3.6 million, with the city's share of the funding coming in at $500,000.

Emery Sapp & Sons, based out of Springfield, Missouri, has been selected to complete the work.

"Emery Sapp has their own concrete plant and milling machine, which were necessary to complete this project in a limited amount of time," Pride said, while noting "numerous local resources, labor and equipment are being used."