Airport board briefed on plan for big upgrades

Texarkana Regional Airport is seen in December 2015.
Texarkana Regional Airport is seen in December 2015.

The five-year plan to upgrade Texarkana Regional Airport was the subject of a briefing to members of the Texarkana, Ark., Board of Directors on Thursday.

Airport Director Mark Mellinger explained why the airport is important to the local economy and shared plans to build a terminal and taxiway, alongside other improvements, by 2021.

The new terminal will be across the airport's main runway from the current terminal, with a new entry off East 19th Street. The taxiway will flank the entire length of the runway, and the overall appearance of the airport will be improved.

Federal Aviation Administration grants will fund 90 percent of the estimated $29.4 million project cost. The remaining 10 percent in matching funds will be provided by a combination of Arkansas Department of Aeronautics grants, the airport's passenger facility charge of $4.50 per passenger and contributions from the cities of Texarkana, Texas, and Texarkana, Ark.

The FAA funding applies only to new construction, so renovating the current terminal would have cost the airport about $1 million out of pocket, said Adger Smith, a member of the Texarkana Regional Airport Authority board.

The Texas side has allocated more than $1 million to the project through its Capital Improvement Plan, leaving about $700,000 in matching funds for the Arkansas side to cover. That money will not be needed until 2020 at the earliest, and most likely not until 2021, Mellinger said.

Texarkana, Ark., is in the process of applying for a federal Economic Development Administration grant to cover its portion of the matching funds. Another option would be to make annual payments of $175,000 for four years or $140,000 for five years.

Arkansas Department of Aeronautics revenues come from a sales tax on aircraft and aviation fuel, and sales of both have declined in recent years, Mellinger said. As a result, ADA is considering lowering the maximum amount of its FAA matching grants, which would have "a large impact" on the Texarkana project. If ADA makes the move, "we would most likely have to stretch the timetable further out," he said.

City directors Barbara Miner, Tim Johnson, Linda Teeters and Terri Peavy attended the meeting in the airport's administration building, as did Mayor Ruth Penney-Bell and City Manager Kenny Haskin. Airport Authority Board members Smith, Don Ruggles and Holmes Morel also attended.

On Twitter: @RealKarlRichter

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