MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Phase II of the Morgantown Municipal Airport runway extension project has been completed, according to city officials.
Airport Director Jonathan Vrabel said Phase II was rock excavation and land clearing, and now the site is prepared for Phase III.
Phase III will continue the embankment construction that commenced as part of Phase I and will also include some stream enclosure operations.
The apparent low bidder for Phase II work is Tucker County-based Mountaineer Infrastructure LLC, with a bid of $2,474,397.
Morgantown City Council has approved an airport improvement budget for FY 2024 of $7,367,994. About $2 million will come from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants, about $4 million from the city capital escrow account, and $1.4 million in American Rescue Plan funds.
The runway extension project will add 1,001 feet at a cost of $65 million. Completion of the work will depend on the city’s ability to secure grants for construction.
City officials also recently approved the purchase of 105 acres for future expansion at a cost of about $1.5 million.
Vrabel said officials are also reviewing a feasibility study for a new main terminal. Michael Baker International completed the study on the six-decade-old building that will be under review this summer.