Watertown International Airport officials are looking to make a few improvements to its infrastructure through Federal Aviation Administration funding.
The most sizeable funding request is about $2.7 million to reconstruct the terminal apron, which is where aircraft are parked, refueled, unloaded or boarded. The reconstruction will remove pavement deficiencies and improve drainage and lighting.
Airport Manager Grant W. Sussey said the current apron is beginning to fail, with higher aircraft loads now being parked there. Not taking care of the problem soon, he said, could create hazards from foreign object debris down the line.
“It’s at the end of its useful life and needs to be reconstructed,” Mr. Sussey said.
The enhanced lighting also will improve safety and security for working around aircraft on the apron at night.
FAA funding is also being requested to reconstruct a runway intersection so that it meets FAA standards.
Mr. Sussey said the pavement at the intersection is aging and is now experiencing drainage issues. A buildup of too much water around the intersection could attract more wildlife to the airport, creating a safety issue. That improvement will cost an estimated $90,000.
Finally, the airport is requesting funds to purchase new de-icing equipment, including a portable heater and a 900 to 1,000 gallon de-icer. The total estimated funding needed to purchase the equipment is $428,000.
For all the aforementioned improvements and purchases, the FAA covers 95 percent of all costs, and the remaining 5 percent is split between the county and the state.
Over the last few years, the airport has made several significant improvements, including a $3.5 million runway extension and a $700,000 terminal expansion. Funding for the runway extension was granted through the FAA, and the terminal expansion was paid for with a state Department of Transportation grant and money from the county’s Residential Community Initiative fund.
Mr. Sussey said there are plans to apply for state funding through the $200 million Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, which was started by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in 2016. This past January, Gov. Cuomo announced that Plattsburgh International Airport will receive $38 million from the program for various improvements as part of the program’s second round.
Though Watertown International applied for the funding last year but didn’t receive any, Mr. Sussey said proposals will be submitted for the next round.