Airport Getting National Attention as Runway Ribbon Cutting Nears

Oct. 12—Though the tarmac itself has been open for traffic since January, Cullman Regional Airport's new main runway is about to be an official cause for celebration. Local leaders and the general public will head to the Vinemont-area facility next week for a ribbon cutting ceremony; one that finally commemorates the built-out conclusion, from pavement to sod planting, of the $4 million project.

The ceremony, set for 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, comes just as the project is getting some nationwide exposure within the aviation industry. Trade publication Airport Improvement is out this month with a feature highlighting the runway's role in capping the airport's latest phase of upgrades, bringing what general manager Ben Harrison describes as the right kind of recognition.

"We're happy that that article came out ahead of our ribbon cutting. We had some additional things with that project that we wanted to finish out beyond the paving itself; to get the grass growing and have the runway be fully integrated into the overall site," said Harrison.

"It's neat, because now it's a project that's out there forever for everyone to see, and it demonstrates how we try to approach our planning process as we make the airport grow. We're honored that they chose to feature us."

Putting across an open and transparent planning message is key to fostering support for future upgrades from the city-county Airport Board, as well as other local leaders and the wider community, said Harrison.

"I try to keep the same message across the board, because we've got to think long-term for all the things a project has to go through for the government approval process," he said. "ALDOT [the Alabama Department of Transportation] and the FAA [ Federal Aviation Administration] totally determine our grants, and it's a process that takes years.

"My goal is that, by the time a project comes up, it ought to be almost second nature to everyone, because everyone will have heard about it so many times that they're very familiar with it. With construction, you just can't drop that kind of information on everyone on short notice, and we want everyone on the same page about what makes sense, and why, as we move through and prioritize our future projects. We're working on things for 2030 and 2031 now, and you'll start seeing things in the 2030 plan as soon as 2025. The idea is to always keep everyone informed well in advance, and always to have five years' worth of plans out there."

With the runway resurfacing and other major planned upgrades now done, the airport is pausing from construction for 2022 as ongoing engineering consultants Goodwyn Mills & Cawood (GMC) update the facility's Airport Layout Plan (ALP). The ALP is a planning document developed with ongoing input from the FAA, and outlines the airport's current layout as well as areas flagged for future improvements, which will resume beginning next year.

"At this point we're moving forward, and we're really happy to be into our second long term plan and looking, in a couple of years, to be going into our third one," said Harrison. "Planning is crucial, because if we don't have a viable airport, it affects local jobs; it affects our area's ability to recruit and continue to accommodate local industries. It affects everybody.

"We're a general aviation facility, but we want to be there for all of the corporate clients who fly in on jets and really rely on our airport to serve the business interests they have in this area. When I give presentations and talk about the airport in the community, I tell people: Commercial air service moves people; but we move business."

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.

___

Visit The Cullman Times (Cullman, Ala.) at www.cullmantimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.