A $2 million grant recently awarded by the Texas Transportation Commission to the Cherokee County Airport (KJSO) will help bring the facility up to federal standards by relocating part of its taxiway.

Airport Manager Clint Goff said the county’s runway is the most important part of the facility, and “ours is in excellent condition. (However), the taxiway pavement is pretty old, and has started to deteriorate over the last few years.”

The separation distance from the runway's centerline to the taxiway's centerline is currently at 200 feet. The minimum is 240, so when completed, the new taxiway will meet minimal FAA standards, he explained.

The full taxiway will not be removed, “just a section of it – it’s pretty much Phase One of a two-phase project,” he said. “As grant money becomes available we will look to doing the southern section, but for now, the work will be on the northern section.”

The airport, located at 420 County Road 1618 in Rusk, covers an area of approximately 224 acres and was built n the early 1960s.

According to www.cherokeecountyairport.com, the site is situated “equidistant to Dallas, Houston and Shreveport,” which Goff said makes it a highly utilized one, especially by a number of businesses that fly in and out of Cherokee County Airport on a weekly basis.

“We get quite a bit of traffic from pretty much all over,” he said. “There are two maintenance shops here that work on aircraft, an aircraft painting facility, an aircraft interior shop ….”

The local airport also serves as a fueling site for many aircraft owners, who take advantage of “really good prices on our fuel,” he said. “People fly down to fill up their tanks, so it's been a good source of revenue.”

“We try to keep our prices competitive,” said County Judge Chris Davis. “A lot of people who pleasure fly buy fuel here; sometimes they'll buy their fuel, then take the courtesy car (donated in recent months by the Jacksonville Economic Development Corporation) to come into Jacksonville and Rusk to eat.”

Other activity includes students who take flight lessons at the airport – “we have four or five instructors who teach at the airport, with a rental aircraft available, too,” Goff said.

The website noted that the airport also is utilized for agriculture operations, as well as provides “several community-based services and programs to enhance the health, safety, welfare and quality of life of area citizens, (such as) fire support and emergency medical evacuation.”

“Our airport gets busier all the time,” Davis said, adding that in keeping facilities – including the runway – up to date is a must. “And TxDOT is a phenomenal partner in every aspect.”

Project costs will be funded through Cherokee County and TxDOT’s Aviation Facilities Grant Program, which preserves and improves the state’s general aviation system, according to a TxDOT release. The grant is a 90-10 grant, with the state providing the greater part of funding.

Goff said the project is expected to kick off in late summer; meanwhile, a design is being finalized, with bids subsequently accepted by the state.

The Cherokee County Airport is open seven days a week. Business hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The airport is closed on Sundays and most major holidays.

To learn more, visit www.cherokeecountyairport.com or visit “Cherokee County Airport” on Facebook.

———

©2020 the Jacksonville Daily Progress (Jacksonville, Texas)

Visit the Jacksonville Daily Progress (Jacksonville, Texas) at www.jacksonvilleprogress.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.