(COLUMBIA, MO) -
The Columbia Regional Airport (COU) will break ground in the next few weeks to rebuild and lengthen runway 13-31 as part of the Runway Safety Enhancement Project. The project is identified in the 2009 Airport Master Plan and included in the Airport Layout Plan.
Through the project, runway 13-31 will be repaired and lengthened from a 75 foot wide, 4,400 foot long asphalt surface runway to a 100 foot wide, 5,500 foot long concrete surface crosswind runway.
In October, the FAA awarded the City of Columbia and COU an $11.1 million grant to fund 90 percent of the project costs. The remaining 10 percent, $1.22 million, will be funded by the local Transportation Sales Tax. Total costs are estimated to equal $12.32 million. Local contractor Emery Sapp and Sons were awarded the construction contract.
The project will also consist of:
- The placement of new taxiway B
- Installation of new lighting system for both runway 13-31 and taxiway B
- Placement of state of the art vertical/visual guidance system also known as a Precision Approach Path Indicator on runway 13-31
"This is another step in our long term planning to ensure Columbia Regional Airport is a safe, efficient and modern airport able to serve the economic and tourism needs of Columbia and central Missouri," said Columbia's Economic Development Director Stacey Button.
In 2015 improvements to the intersection of runway 13-31 and 2-20 were completed ensuring that the main runway will remain open at all times during the crosswind runway project. The expected completion date will be summer of 2017.
In August, the City of Columbia completed the realignment of Rangeline Road along the eastern border of COU. This realignment was a necessary preparation in the upcoming project to widen and lengthen runway 13-31.
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