The ambitious project to extend the Morgantown Municipal Airport’s runway is making steady progress, with plans to add an additional 1,001 feet to the existing infrastructure. Recently, the Morgantown City Council approved the allocation of over $10.1 million in state and federal grants to the city’s Airport Improvement Fund. This funding is designated for the fourth phase of the extension endeavor. The work, which was awarded to Cast & Baker from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, for $9,122,000 in September, is in progress and involves the culverting of an unnamed tributary flowing into Wolfe Run Creek.
As the project advances, bids for the fifth phase were opened on Thursday. These bids encompass a base project and four alternatives, with costs ranging from just over $6.7 million to $10.7 million. The upcoming phase is set to include the construction of a retaining wall and initial embankment development. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will receive the bid information, and it is anticipated that the city will learn about the funding amount for phase five this fall.
Although planning and investment in the runway extension have been ongoing for more than 15 years, actual construction commenced in March 2021. Since then, over $29.4 million in federal and local funds have been allocated, with $4 million directed towards planning and environmental analysis, and the remainder towards construction efforts. Currently, the project’s total cost is estimated at $62 million, with completion expected between 2028 and 2030, contingent upon funding availability.
City and airport officials remain optimistic that the recent introduction of SkyWest as the new essential air service carrier will elevate the airport’s enplanement numbers, potentially unlocking further federal support. The runway extension project is considered a pivotal capital improvement for the city. Despite being the busiest airport in West Virginia based on aircraft operations, the Morgantown Municipal Airport currently has the shortest commercial runway in the state.
Additionally, the substantial 4.4 million cubic yards of dirt required for the runway extension is sourced from the future site of the Monongalia County Development Authority’s I-68 Commerce Park, which promises to be one of the largest development projects in the city’s history.