PORT ANGELES — Port commissioners began planning for the future of William R. Fairchild International Airport on Monday by approving an expanded development plan.
Bids for the building site and taxi lane development project, estimated to cost up to $700,000, will be opened on June 20.
The Port of Port Angeles commissioners unanimously approved spending $40,000 instead of $10,000 for the Port’s portion of the project.
The remainder will be paid by a federal grant.
“We are looking to the future,” Airport Manager Jeff Robb said.
In addition to more taxi lanes, the airport’s pavement also must be stronger to handle larger, heavier aircraft, and buildings must be set farther apart, he said.
Larger aircraft
The original development plan laid out 16 pad sites for hangar developments designed for six-person general aviation aircraft, Robb said.
But now they are getting an increasing amount of commercial and corporate aircraft, including craft that are 100 feet long with 94-foot wingspans, he said.
The project will include removal of existing asphalt concrete, excavating, installing storm drains and water lines, installing a water main and fire hydrants, adding a crushed aggregate base, then repaving and restriping the pavement.
The project doesn’t involve buildings. It will provide areas for up to three commercial or corporate aircraft hangar developments plus two general aviation hangars.
The project is the third phase of a development that began in 2000.
