By Tim Unruh
A rehabilitation project on the north 4,800 feet of Runway 17/35 last spring and summer, turned out to be an award winner.
APAC Kansas, Shears Division and the Salina Airport Authority received a first-place award in the 2022 miscellaneous paving category from the Kansas Asphalt Pavement Association.
The organizations were presented plaques Dec. 8 at the 66th annual Asphalt Paving Conference in Lawrence.
The primary 2.33-mile runway at SLN — 150 feet wide — is one of the longest in Kansas, and is essential for the landing of large aircraft and testing by such aviation companies as Bombardier and Dynamic Aviation, both of Wichita, said Shelli Swanson, director of administration and finance at the airport authority.
Testing includes touch-and-go landings and takeoffs, and runway performance testing. The long runway is also a benefit to 1 Vision Aviation, a maintenance, repair and overhaul firm in Salina, making it essential for big client aircraft to come to Salina for service.
SLN runways receive regular maintenance and rehab. The south 7,500 feet of the primary runway is eligible for federal grants. The remaining 39 percent of Runway 17/35 required a “mill and inlay” in 2022.
To pay for the project, Salina Regional Airport received a $1.3 million economic development grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation, that helps with infrastructure projects, Swanson said. Criteria for eligibility of the KDOT grant is job creation and retention.
The grant covered 75 percent of the cost. The airport authority’s share was $400,000. APAC completed the work in 30 days.
“Without the support of KDOT economic development grant programs, it could have been a real financial challenge to complete the project,” Swanson said. “We appreciate the KDOT Division of Aviation.”
Salina Regional’s runways receive mill and inlays every decade, Swanson said. The rehabilitation of the south 7,500 feet of Runway 17/35, during the spring of 2022, took 60 days. Contractor for that work was Bettis Asphalt & Construction of Topeka.