yards of fill dirt to even out the slope, water detention, and
quality control ponds, and an airport perimeter road. This phase
was to be completed by spring but with the unseasonably high
amounts of rain and the cold weather the project has been set
back several months and expected to be completed in the fall of
2014. This phase is estimated at costing $12 million.
Phase 2 consists of paving the runway extension, installing new
LED runway lights. Phase 3 is a new instrument landing system
and new approach lighting system. Phase 3 is expected to be
completed by summer of 2015. The estimated cost for these
phases is $4.5 million.
As part of this project there is a tree management plan where
the airport will be planting trees to replace the ones that were
removed for the expansion. And the large lot off Winterville
Road where fill dirt was removed for the project is permitted to
become a nursery.
Funding for this project is a combination of Federal Aviation
Administration at 95%, State of Georgia Aviation Programs at
2.5%, and the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County at
2.5%. The FAA’s 95% portion is funded as part of the Aviation
Trust Fund which receives its funding through excise taxes
collected on the sale of Jet fuel and airline tickets.
This expansion with allow a Boeing 737 to leave with a full gas tank and to carry a
full load of 90-200 passengers where now they can only carry 50-70 passengers.
This means UGA will be able to take only one plane as opposed to three when
their football team travels. The same goes for other teams that travel to UGA.
Athens Part of Regional Tour for Industry Leaders
Twenty-one industry project managers from the Georgia Department of
Economic Development and Georgia Power recently visited the Athens area as
part of a two-day bus tour of the region on September 6, 2013.
“Project Managers serve as the first point of contact for new industry looking to
locate in the state of Georgia, so it’s important for them to experience a
community’s cultural amenities first hand,” Ryan Moore, director of the AthensClarke County economic development department said in a statement.
While in Athens, the group went to a reception sponsored by the University of
Georgia and dinner on The Classic Center Theatre stage with entertainment by
Circle Ensemble Theatre and the band Saint Francis. The Athens-Clarke County
Rope Roberts of Georgia Power welcomes the group in the Classic
Economic Development Department and Georgia Power coordinated to provide
Center atrium.
the dinner and
entertainment. The trip also included a discussion with Mayor Nancy Denson on
Athens-Clarke County as a location of choice for various industries and
educational leaders spoke to the group about the Athens’ workforce and
educational assets. It also included a bus tour of the area.
“It was so great to work with the Classic Center to host this event,” recalls Ryan
Moore, Economic Development Department Director. “One phone and they led
this event to perfection.”
The regional bus tour, organized by Georgia Power, visited several northeast
Georgia cities, including Gainesville, Cornelia and Hartwell.
The group enjoyed dinner on the Classic Center stage and a surprise
musical performance by Circle Ensemble Theatre.
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