18 - Letter to TxDOT for construction of a hangar taxiway extension, road and pavement repairsItem No. 18
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TO: Mayor & City Council
Gene Anderson, Interim City Manager
FROM: Carla Easton, PE, Engineering & Community Development Director
SUBJECT: TxDOT AVIATION FUNDING REQUEST FOR COX FIELD
DATE: April 20, 2020
BACKGROUND: The Airport Advisory Board has been looking for opportunities to get more
hangars constructed at Cox Field Airport. TxDOT Aviation funding is available for capital
improvement projects in accordance with the airport master plan. The Cox Field Airport is
allotted $150,000 per year in non -primary entitlement money from state/federal funds to be used
on capital improvements administered by TxDOT Aviation. The city has the option to rollover
the funds for up to four years in order to complete a sizable project under the TxDOT Aviation
CIP program. This would set aside $600,000 for a project to be funded 90% by TxDOT and
10% with local match.
STATUS OF ISSUE: The last CIP project completed at the airport was a 4 -unit T -hangar now
called Hangar J. The program does not allow for two profit -generating projects back to back, so
our next project under this program cannot be for new hangars. However, the program does
allow for infrastructure such as a hangar access taxiways and related pavement improvements. A
taxiway extension would provide access to potential pad sites for private hangar development.
Staff and the advisory board agree that the cost of a taxiway extension is often a deterrent for
new private hangar construction, so a project to extend the hangar access taxiway with state and
local money has potential to incentivize private projects.
The airport master plan identifies short, intermediate, and long-term projects eligible for funding
under the TxDOT CIP and RAMP programs. The city has completed most all of the short-term
projects, with one of the remaining priorities on the list being a vehicle access road to serve
existing and future hangars. Staff recommends to include the access road in the project request
to TxDOT in order to build the airport consistently with the master plan.
Finally, TxDOT has identified several areas of deficient pavement near the fuel station and also
around Hangar I. TxDOT project planners have indicated that reconstruction of the pavement is
eligible for CIP project funding.
Therefore, the following improvements are recommended for the next project under TxDOT
Aviation CIP program:
Short-term Priority #8 — Vehicle access road connecting to Airport Road ($300,000)
Intermediate Priority #7 — Extend Hangar Access Taxiway 375' west to accommodate
future hangars ($200,000)
• Pavement repairs per the 2019 TxDOT Pavement Analysis ($100,000)
The airport advisory board considered this information and voted 5-1 in favor to recommend that
the city council approve the submission of a letter of interest to TxDOT Aviation for develop a
project for the noted improvements.
BUDGET: The required 10% match ($60,000) would be spent in two different budget years;
2020-21 would require a small amount for design work, and the remainder in 21-22 or at time of
construction.
RECOMMENDATION: Direct staff on the submission of a letter of interest to TxDOT Aviation
for the construction of a hangar access taxiway extension, a vehicle access road, and pavement
repairs at Cox Field.