Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Mathy Construction Company starts work on the Runway 9/27 rehabilitation and runway lighting reconstruction project Monday at the Gogebic-Iron County Airport. The work will require the airport to close through July 15, and again from Aug. 13-20. The terminal parking lot will also be resurfaced during the project.
By TOM LAVENTURE
Ironwood - The Gogebic-Iron County Airport closed Monday for more than a month of runway work.
The Runway 9/27 rehabilitation and runway lighting reconstruction project will require the closure of the runway and airport through July 15, and again from Aug. 13-20, said Mike Harm, airport manager. The single asphalt runway is 6,502 feet by 120 feet.
"The runway surface will be milled and shaped and brought to elevation," Harma said. "A new blacktop layer will then be applied over the entire surface."
All runway edge and end lights will be replaced during the project, he said. New conduit and wire will also be installed between each light.
"The final coat of paint and surface cutting will be accomplished during the shutdown period in August," Harma said.
Mathy Construction Company is the general contractor for the $5,191,497 project, he said. The majority of the project funding comes from a Federal Aviation Administration discretionary grant.
Most of the work will occur during the last two months of commercial passenger operation with Air Choice One. The Essential Air Service provider contract with Air Choice One expires July 31, when Boutique Air, Inc. will take over as the new EAS provider on Aug. 1 through July 31, 2022.
"The month and a half that the airport closed we will not be able to operate," said Shane Storz, CEO of Air Choice One airlines from the corporate office in St. Louis on Monday. "But we do plan on returning July 16 to resume the remainder of our service term."
It is quite an inconvenience but the construction season is short in the Upper Peninsula, he said. It may also be a challenge to the new EAS provider and he wishes the community and Boutique Air all success with future service.
"We are thankful to be the community's air service provider for the last six years and we're not wanting to leave but we have an understanding that the community has decided as far as the new air service provider," Storz said.
Air Choice One was able to grow the passenger numbers to more than 11,000, Storz said. The airline is leaving the EAS service as good or better than they started, he said.
"So hopefully that is the same feeling from the community," Storz said.
The second phase of runway construction is after Boutique Air becomes the EAS provider.
"We are now open for booking on our website starting Aug. 1," said Brian Kondrad, assistant general manager of Boutique Air Inc. "As far as we know, the airport runways will be under construction from Aug. 13 through Aug. 20. We are waiting for more information as well."
Boutique Air will provide daily nonstop round trip service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Boutique will fly the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft with an 8-to-9-seat configuration.
