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64 °F 5 Day Forecast Monday, October 20, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend October 4, 2003 A crew from contractor LTM Inc. pours concrete for a drainage catch basin between the runway and a taxiway at the Medford airport on Friday. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Airport project paves the way Work continues on Medford tarmac improvements; 2005 start seen for new terminal By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune It’s not often that airplanes have to contend with road construction, but incoming flights are experiencing minor delays during the final phase of a $5.5 million repaving project at the Medford airport. "There will be some inconvenience for the long-term benefit," said airport Director Bern Case. The airport expects the asphalt repaving to be completed by the second week of December, or, if the weather turns bad, by early spring. Funded by the federal government, the project will bring the taxiway area up to Federal Aviation Administration standards and also will repave an airplane parking area near the Jet Center and Mercy Flights. Advertisement Incoming planes are being detoured to the runway area during construction, causing delays of up to five minutes, said Case. "If we were a bigger airport, it would be more of a problem," he said. Work on the repaving, which is being done by LTM Inc., began in 2001 because the taxiway was too close to the runway, according to FAA standards. Because different portions of the taxiway were built at different times, parts of it were narrower, making it visually confusing for pilots. Those areas also were weaker than newer sections. Case said that new asphalt will be up to two feet deep in some areas. The tarmac where passenger planes park was resurfaced about five years ago, he noted. Plans are also in the works to create a new, taller terminal building at the airport. Case said preliminary work on plumbing and to build a new terminal building could begin by next year, but major construction probably won’t begin until 2005. A $35 million Medford airport terminal that would meet current safety standards could be built in the next two years to replace the existing building. The terminal would support up to a million passengers a year, compared to almost 500,000 passengers now. Cost estimates for the new facility have ranged from $30 million to $35 million, with federal grants picking up $25 million to $27 million of the tab. The remainder would be paid off through revenue bonds that come from fees and other services provided to the airlines. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times