Airport parking ramp to be unveiled

HAYDEN - Kootenai County's new $600,000 aircraft parking ramp at the Coeur d'Alene Airport will be unveiled at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at 11101 N. Airport Road in Hayden.

The event will feature the use of a plane's propeller to cut the ribbon.

"This ceremony will culminate over a year's worth of planning, design and construction completed by Kootenai County to rehabilitate the 2.5 acres of aircraft parking area," said Coeur d'Alene Airport Manager Greg Delavan.

The ramp, constructed in 1979, serves as the main public aircraft parking area for the facility and can accommodate more than 30 aircraft.

Improvements to the ramp include an increased structural base course, a new asphalt section, new aircraft tiedowns, new security fencing and gates and lighting upgrades.

The airport is an economic engine for local communities, attracting visitors from around the county and supporting local businesses and industry.

The airport was recently selected to house a firefighting fleet during the summer and this fall.

"From an economic perspective, the contracting community in Kootenai County appreciates the opportunities the Coeur d'Alene Airport provides," said Interstate Concrete and Asphalt project manager Jared Wise.

"An additional benefit beyond the commerce is the impact that the airport creates locally, including the ability to safely house our firefighters during the summer and fall months. All of this, along with a professional safe environment, generates great pride in completing projects of this nature."

County officials, airport personnel and representatives from T-O Engineers, the firm behind the project, are expected to attend and provide brief remarks.

Kootenai County retained the services of T-O Engineers to provide the planning, design and inspection and contracted with Interstate Concrete and Asphalt to construct the project.

Using what is known as "value engineering," T-O Engineers reduced the estimated project costs from $1.2 million to about $600,000 for the project.

The county was awarded grants from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Idaho Transportation Department's Division of Aeronautics for the project.

"These grants funded more than 92 percent of all project costs," said T-O Engineers project manager J.R. Norvell.