Stimulus lifts airport work
Recent travelers have no doubt noticed crews fast at work on Spokane International Airport runway and terminal apron improvements. Both are shining local examples of federal stimulus money in action as a key component of a much larger, lasting endeavor.
The airport is in the initial phase of a five-year, $144 million capital initiative that will preserve and add prevailing-wage jobs and strongly position the region for long-term economic growth. Over the next few years, that work will create an estimated 5,760 jobs and make an economic impact in excess of $360 million.
Spokane International Airport received about $15 million in stimulus money, providing a boost to an endeavor years in the making. The maximum allocation of stimulus funds for airports was $20 million, making Spokane’s allotment among the largest west of the Rocky Mountains.
For a community that has taken its share of economic lumps, stimulus funds could not have come at a better time. About 90 construction jobs were created immediately on the airfield. Office staff and materials yard workers employed by contractors and subcontractors hungry for work have also benefited.
In at least one instance, a job that was saved prevented foreclosure on a family’s home, further proof federal stimulus money is working.
With an annual economic impact of $890 million and a direct hand in 2,500 jobs and 12,000 more indirectly, the Spokane airport plays a critical role in community and regional economic development. It operates as a self-sufficient enterprise zone and depends on user fees for funding.
Better infrastructure sustains more passenger and cargo volume and tenants, and supports ongoing efforts to enhance the region’s growing aerospace cluster of maintenance, manufacturing and other like businesses. Airport parking, runway and terminal apron work and expansion of the rental car area last year ensure efficient air travel and benefit the traveling public.
Runway expansion and terminal apron improvements are under way years ahead of schedule thanks to federal stimulus funds and the support of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. Both projects will finish next year – the runway about three years sooner than originally anticipated and the apron as much as 10 years earlier.
Adding 2,000 feet to the runway makes a big difference to commercial and freight aircraft. The runway will stretch 11,000 feet when finished, allowing commercial airliners to take off 100 percent loaded with passengers and baggage on the hottest July and August days and eliminate costly weight and balance restrictions necessary for the shorter runway. On the freight side, the runway will accommodate planes able to reach destinations as far as Boston and Miami, an important capability for a UPS and FedEx hub.
Terminal apron rehabilitation and expansion will increase capacity to park commercial aircraft overnight by nearly 20 percent, improving the service offered to carriers.
Advanced planning and preparation positioned the Spokane airport to compete successfully for stimulus money. That effort evolved from the vision, foresight and ongoing commitment of the airport’s professional staff, led by airport director Neal Sealock, to maximize aviation dollars and keep costs low.
Property has been acquired methodically for years to extend the runway. Plans have been prepared and money banked for capital improvements. Stimulus money is being paired with funds accumulated from passenger fees and banked for runway expansion. The terminal apron is funded jointly by a federal ticket fee allocated back to airports.
Once it became apparent that a stimulus package might be available, Spokane airport staff quickly reviewed its plans with the Federal Aviation Administration and received the go-ahead on the runway and apron projects in October. The process put the airport at a point where it could get the projects right up to the ready by March.
Being shovel ready allowed the airport to begin work within a week after the announcement of allocation of stimulus funds. Contracts, already out for bid, were approved on a Wednesday and the projects mobilized the following Monday. Favorable market conditions allowed the airport to award contracts at a cost significantly less than the engineer’s estimates.
This is a good example of not only instantly putting people to work, but having very substantial long-range benefits. In an economic time when job cuts are plentiful and answers are few, it is encouraging to know federal stimulus money is working the way it was designed.