Local contractors will be encouraged to work on Rogers City airport project

All portions of the $1 million-plus Rogers City Airport project are going to bid, and the project has been split into three different contracts. The largest contract is for runway construction and the installation of a new lighting system. That?s being bid through the state of Michigan.

?Their web page has the full plans,? said Mary Ann Heidemann, County Development Commission director. The runway will be lengthened to 4,105 feet and widened to 75 feet.

In order to make sure that more opportunity was available for local contractors to participate, the project was split into two additional contracts. One contract is for the clearing and grading of the airport.

?That would mean taking down the trees in certain spots of the approach and leveling of the ground,? said Heidemann. ?A lot of firms are able

to do the work.? The third contract is a small one, but still important, Heidemann said. It would be to relocate the Gilpin Field fence and install additional fencing.

The largest contract out for bids, for runway construction, will be opened on April 4 in Lansing. The two other smaller projects for the clearing and grading, and for the fence, will be opened March 27 at the airport office.

There will be some direct mailing to contractor the CDC knows about. Heidemann said ?it?s good to get the word out, and we?re happy to see that construction start this summer.? Work is expected to take 58 calendar days.

?The target dates are from mid-May through mid-July, but if that doesn?t work out we will wait to start the project until after the Nautical Festival, because it?s our biggest event of the year,? said Heidemann.