Chandler Council approves several airport improvement projects
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CHANDLER — The Chandler City Council recently approved the following items related to airport taxiway and pavement improvement projects and business development at Chandler Municipal Airport:
The Council authorized an agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation for a $2.035 million grant that will cover the first phase of the design and construction of the Taxiway B improvements. Taxiway B is a partial length, parallel taxiway located between the two runways that primarily serves the eastern portion of the south runway.
As the Airport continues to grow, so does the congestion between both runways. This project will extend Taxiway B, resulting in an improved taxiway that will serve both runways.
The grant is anticipated to cover 100% of the project costs and there is no local matching share required. Also, no airport runways will be extended as part of Taxiway B’s extension.
The council also approved an agreement with Aviation Management Consulting Group, Inc., for the Airport Strategic Business Plan, in an amount not to exceed $125,000.
Key tasks of the plan will include an aviation market assessment, a Chandler-specific airport inventory of infrastructure, services and capacities, a detailed financial analysis, airport business goals and an implementation plan with key performance indicators, including identifying funding requirements for development.
The study will take approximately seven months to complete and will provide multiple opportunities for public and airport stakeholder engagement through working sessions, site visits and open forums.
This plan will provide a pathway to fulfill the development goals set forth in the recent Airport Master Plan Update approved by Council in 2020.
The council awarded a professional services agreement to Dibble Engineering for the Runway 4R-22L pavement improvements, in an amount not to exceed about $270,000.
This agreement includes the design and development of construction documents for the runway’s rehabilitation. This project is 91% funded by a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration. Chandler is seeking ADOT support as well, and if received, ADOT would split the remaining 9% with the City.
The council awarded a professional services agreement to WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure, Inc. to provide services for the design and development of construction documents for the aviation fuel tank relocation.
Chandler Municipal Airport has an existing, land-side 12,000-gallon underground storage tank, located at the former heliport on the west side of the property, which connects to an existing, on-airport aviation fuel pump via underground piping. This underground fuel system provides retail delivery of aviation fuel to the Airport's customers and has reached the end of its service life.
The current storage tank system will be removed and replaced with a new, above-ground storage tank with a minimum 12,000 gallon capacity, located on the airport grounds near the existing fuel pump.
By removing the underground storage tank, the project increases the area for new commercial development opportunities at the former heliport site. In addition, this project will greatly mitigate potential environmental concerns associated with underground fuel tanks. This project was included in the 2020 Airport Master Plan and was recommended by the 2020 Airport Bond Exploratory Subcommittee to increase revenue generation.
The next meeting of the Chandler City Council will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 23. Council meetings are aired live, as well as replayed on the local cable channel 11 and streamed online at chandleraz.gov/video.
We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
