July 24--Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport will get $300,000 in state funding to expand its airfield fuel facility, Gov. Tom Corbett announced Tuesday.
The money is among about $2.1 million to be distributed to 19 airports across the state for safety enhancements and operational improvements.
Airport Director Barry Centini described the funding as a "75-25 matching grant" and said the total estimated cost of installing a 20,000-gallon jet fuel tank is $400,000.
Centini said a general rule of thumb dictates airports should have a three-day supply of fuel so service would not be interrupted if there is a problem with deliveries.
He said the airport receives daily fuel deliveries and has "never had problems in the past."
The director hopes to complete the work by the end of the year or early next year.
Airport officials recently identified the fuel capacity expansion among its top infrastructure priorities.
The expansion is one of six projects totaling about $7 million that the Bi-County Airport Board agreed in June to recruit engineering firms to study.
Other priorities included an estimated $4 million project to create an additional connection to the access road PennDOT will create as part of an upcoming project; an estimated $2 million demolition of the old airport terminal; an estimated $360,000 repaving project for key airport roadways; an estimated $150,000 preventive maintenance project for the parking garage; and an estimated $100,000 overhaul of the customs area.
[email protected], @kwindTT
Copyright 2013 - The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
