From: John Simko, Town ManagerCC:
Date: 8-14-05 A letter dated August 5, 2005 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorizes the Town of Greenville to begin its reconstruction of runway 14-32 as planned. The $4,154,730.00 grant award from the FAA represents 95% of an approximate $4.3 million project (2.5% each coming from the Town of Greenville and the State of Maine). Sargent and Sargent was the low bidder for this project, a contract for this work was signed Friday, August 12, 2005 at the preconstruction conference. Work will begin at the airport Thursday morning, August 17, 2005, and will continue through November, possibly into the 2006 construction season. A description of the work as proposed to the FAA in our grant application is attached: some items have been deleted, in particular the obstruction removal program (except for the trees and vegetation at the ends of 14-32) and some of the paving on the taxiway from runway 14 to the main apron area. Otherwise, the project will proceed as planned, with full reconstruction of the main runway; the elevation of the ends of 14-32 by 6-7' to improve line of sight; improvements to the tower, including modernizing the beacon; moving the National Weather Service (NWS) ASOS base to the center of the airport (NWS will move its own instruments); new runway lights and markings; creation of a mowable surface at the ends of 14-32. To accomplish this work, the project will be broken into roughly 3-phases. The first phase, in light of the August 18 and 19 International Air Rally, will be to create a new threshold line for runway 14-32, leaving 3,000' of unaltered surface on the 32 end of the runway. The 1,000' of the 14 end will be rotomilled by Pike Industries beginning Thursday, August 17, 2005. At that time, runway 14-32 will be closed and only runway 3-21 (the crosswind runway) will be open. Following the Air Rally, and beginning Friday, August 19, the intersection of the runways will also be rotomilled, and general construction will commence. BOTH runways will be closed between Friday, August 19 and Thursday, September 8 while Sargent and Sargent completes this first phase of runway reconstruction. The new threshold will be in place by September 8, allowing for use of runway 14-32 and runway 3-21 for the Fly-In. Due to haul routes for materials, this shortened version of runway 14-32 is expected to be closed after the Fly-In. From September 8, 2005 forward, the Crosswind Runway (3-21) will be the only operational runway. When construction ceases in November, it is expected that runway 14-32 will be opened again until the summer construction season. General Contractor Sargent and Sargent has stated at the August 12 pre-construction meeting that it is their intention to complete ALL work on runway 14-32 by November 2005. If this very ambitious schedule can be completed, there will be no need to close the main runway in 2006. All operational changes at the airport will be posted with Flight Service as NOTAMs. Pilots should check flight service for regular updates. Contact personnel for the project will be primarily Eric Clark, Project Manager for Sargent and Sargent, and Ryan Leavitt, P.E., Project Engineer for Dufresne-Henry. Public Works Foreman Mike Thornton and I will be in regular contact with these two and advise others of progress on this project. Contact information for these two are as follows: Eric Clark, Sargent and Sargent Project Manager: 478-0011 (cell phone); 843-6637 (home).Both of these individuals will be working from a construction trailer to be placed this week at the Greenville Municipal Airport. Once telephone and fax service is connected, we will have these numbers available at the Town Office. It will be imperative that all users of the airport be aware of these changes and be cautious of construction equipment whenever entering or exiting the airport. Remember, the airport will be CLOSED from Friday, August 19 to Thursday, September 8 while the intersection of the runways is being reconstructed. During the Fly-In, a temporary threshold on runway 14-32 will be instituted, allowing for use of BOTH 3,000' of runway 14-32 and all 3,000' of runway 3-21. At some point following the Fly-In, runway 14-32 will be closed for the rest of the construction season, with ONLY runway 3-21 open for air service. Runway 3-21 is 3,000' in length and has no marker lights. Please see me if you have any questions – thank you for your patience while these important upgrades to our airport are made. |