Delayed State Funding Might Not Postpone Airport Project

Aug. 10--Rochester likely has wiggle room when it comes to reconstructing the secondary runway at the Rochester International Airport.

John Reed, the airport's executive director, said the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act paves the way for starting efforts with federal funds that are expected to be received this year.

"We can fund phase one immediately and delay other construction," he told the Rochester City Council on Monday.

He said state funding would likely be needed for the future phases of the six-phase $79.2 million development effort planned for the airport.

The Minnesota House and Senate each created a plan in May to provide $11.4 million in state support for the airport project. However, an effort to merge the two plans has stalled and remains uncertain at this point.

State borrowing for improvement projects is expected to be revisited during an upcoming special session, but some lawmakers have indicated it could be delayed to next year.

Mark McFarland, a senior airport planner with consultants Mead and Hunt, indicated the next step in the Rochester airport effort is to finalize a master plan later this year.

Once the plan is complete, the construction on the first phase could start as early as next spring, with the overall effort extending into 2026 or 2027.

A key factor of the project, reconstruction of the secondary runway, is likely to occur in 2024.

While how that unfolds remains uncertain, McFarland's team is recommending the city consider extending the runway by 1,647 feet to allow added space to reconstruct the intersection of the airport's two runways.

The runway extension would provide added flexibility for the airport, but would also require realignment of a nearby roadway and potential land purchases by the airport.

A less expensive option would call for closing the intersection for four to six weeks with 24-hour construction efforts.

Aviation planner Matt Blankenship said the effort would interfere with commercial air traffic, as well as Mayo Clinic's medical transport.

Other options would create a temporary runway, which would interfere with nearby wetlands and could add costs.

McFarland said time remains to make a final decision, but Monday's discussion was intended to allow council members to weigh in before the options are reviewed in a public engagement event being planned for later this month.

Other public and behind-the-scenes facilities are also slated to be addressed in the master plan, but Reed noted that all efforts are likely to be flexible..

"I think there is a plan to utilize what we have with incremental build-outs when necessary, and hopefully we can fund it without putting undue strain financially on the operation as a whole," he said.

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