The runways at Indianola’s airport could be getting a makeover soon.
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, along with Congressman Steven Palazzo announced that the Indianola Municipal Airport was one of 20 airports statewide to receive a portion of a $9.77 million award that will go toward improvements.
The grants will be awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Indianola Municipal Airport is slated to receive $241,500 to rehabilitate its runways.
“Mississippi’s airports bring tourism, investment, and greater transportation options to our state, these additional federal grants will help airports across Mississippi to expand while improving service, security, and safety,” Wicker recently told the press.
Hyde-Smith said the funds will be used for a variety of projects across the state.
“I’m pleased these communities are receiving funds to promote safety and economic activities,” she said.
Lake Baird with Indianola’s Gardner Engineering, said the city plans to use its portion of the award for a joints sealing and cleaning rehabilitation project.
At the June 11 meeting of the Indianola Board of Aldermen, upon Baird’s recommendation, the city lawmakers voted to accept the lowest bid for the project.
Baird explained, however, that the full process involves first designing the project, requesting and accepting the bids and then submitting them to FAA before the grant can be issued.
The engineer’s estimate was $220,000.
“Our south Mississippi airports that received these grants will be able to improve, maintain, and rehabilitate their facilities,” said Palazzo. “This funding is a smart federal infrastructure investment, and I applaud the Department of Transportation and Secretary Chao for their efforts in awarding these grants.”
The grant is not automatically given.
The municipality where the airport is located has to apply for it. The allocated funds are 90 percent federal with the state and local municipality contributing 5 percent each.
The Indianola airport has 7,000 feet of concrete runway and is 150 feet wide that’s 12 panels across,
“That’s a lot of concrete pavement,” said Baird.
Those panels are sealed at the joints to keep rain and water from infiltrating underneath and every so often the sealant needs to be torn out and replaced to ensure the integrity of the surface.
Baird said the seal and rehab project could result in a lifespan of 15 years for the repaired runways.
Indianola Municipal Airport Manager Jerry Jones said the seals being replaced with this year’s grant funds are more than 10 years old.
“It’s to the point right now, where now is the best time to do it. If you allow water to come through in these joints it will cause the concrete to crack,” Jones said.
Jones said the winter season makes the landing strip extremely susceptible to that,
“It’s primarily important to keep the joint sealed,” he said.
He said they have to submit a 5-year advanced notice of what type of projects they need to have completed.
Jones said based on runway length, the Indianola airfield is the third largest in the state.
The Indianola airport is home base for 24 “fixed wing” aircrafts. Jones said there are 21 single-engine and 3 multi-engine planes hangered there, many are agricultural.
