Governor Scott Walker today announced a $166,667 project to design pavement improvements at the Merrill Municipal Airport.
Ryan Donnelly, airport development engineer with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), said the project will upgrade the airport’s 3,000-foot crosswind runway by designing a parallel taxiway and reconstructing crosswind runway pavement. Donnelly said the design work will set the stage for construction that will enhance safety and efficiency of aircraft operations along the crosswind runway.
The majority of the project funding, $150,000, will come from the Federal Aviation Administrations. The state of Wisconsin will contribute $8,333 while the city of Merrill will be responsible for $8,334.
Following completion of the design work, actual construction is planned for 2017.
Merrill Municipal Airport is one of 98 facilities included in the Wisconsin State Airport System Plan, which makes it eligible for state and federal funding. Airport improvement projects are administered through WisDOT’s Bureau of Aeronautics.