Long-running discussions about runway extensions at the Emporia Municipal Airport will continue into next year.
Discussions have been underway for years, and currently the focus is on project design for a 51-foot extension. Once the actual construction is done, Public Works Director Dean Grant says this will put the airport runway over a magic 5,000-foot threshold and open the door for more air traffic.
A timetable for finishing the design and, later, construction is pending. KDOT is paying 90 percent of the cost for the design project.
Meanwhile, next year will see work on lighting.
This year, Public Works crews have been working on a seal coat project, where the runway has been resurfaced and its cracks have been sealed. Grant also says work extended into the parking lot, meaning the pavement marking will likely finish the project this upcoming spring.
Grant says the city spent around $20,000 on the seal coat project and around $40,000 for the edge lighting.
More information is available online through www.visitors.emporia-kansas.gov.
