Latest news with #MorgantownMunicipalAirport
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bids opened for next phase of runway extension project
Apr. 17—MORGANTOWN — The years-long project to extend the Morgantown Municipal Airport's runway by 1, 001 feet continues to roll forward. On Tuesday, Morgantown City Council approved the placement of just over $10.1 million in state and federal grant dollars into the city's Airport Improvement Fund for phase four of the project. That work, awarded to Cast & Baker out of Canonsburg, Pa., for $9, 122, 000 in September, is currently underway and includes the culverting of the unnamed tributary that runs into Wolfe Run Creek. On Thursday, bids were opened for the fifth phase of work. The bids included a base project and four alternatives, and ranged from just over $6.7 million to $10.7 million. Phase five will include the installation of a retaining wall and the beginning construction of an embankment. Morgantown Communications Director Brad Riffee said the bid information will be provided to the Federal Aviation Administration, which should tell the city how much funding it will receive for phase five sometime this fall. While planning and investment in the runway extension began more than 15 years ago, actual construction started in March 2021. Since then, just over $29.4 million in federal and local dollars have been awarded. Of that amount, $4 million went into planning and environmental analysis and the rest has gone into construction. All told, the city is currently estimating an overall cost of $62 million and a completion timeline as early as 2028 or as late as 2030 depending on the flow of funding. City and airport officials are hopeful the recent arrival of SkyWest as the airport's new essential air service carrier will boost the airport's enplanement numbers enough to trigger additional federal support. The runway project has long been touted as potentially the most important capital improvement ever undertaken by the city. Based on the number of aircraft operations, the Morgantown Municipal Airport is the busiest airport in West Virginia. Its runway, however, is currently the shortest commercial airport runway in the state. Further, the estimated 4.4 million cubic yards of dirt needed to support the extension is being pulled from the future site of the Monongalia County Development Authority's I-68 Commerce Park, which, on its own, will be among the largest development projects in the city's history.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
County commission hearing from frustrated trash customers
Jan. 29—MORGANTOWN — Unlike the city of Morgantown, Monongalia County has no real dog in the fight when it comes to trash collection. Whereas the city has an exclusive and enforceable contract with Republic Services, trash collection in the county is the purview of the West Virginia Public Service Commission. Even so, county residents are getting fed up with missed service and asking the county commission for help. "We're receiving numerous complaints about garbage pickup, " Commissioner Tom Bloom said Wednesday. The commissioners shared a couple letters to demonstrate the point. One resident, who lives just outside the city's boundaries, near the Morgantown Municipal Airport, said there hasn't been a trash collector by her home in a month despite area roads being clear. She asked the commission to hold Republic Services accountable, noting her family in Morgantown are receiving service. "The accumulated trash is gross, and if people store these bags in their garages they attract mice and rats, " she wrote. "We need representation to deal with the trash company. We pay our trash bill. Why should trash pile and fall into our streets ?" Another letter, from an Arbogast Lane resident, said garbage in his neck of the woods hasn't been picked up yet in 2025. "Trash is starting to pile up, " he wrote. Bloom later told The Dominion Post that he hears from at least five or six people weekly from different areas of the county — particularly the Cheat Lake area. "Most ask for guidance and help in resolving their problem, " he said, explaining he believes there is a misunderstanding from some that the county works with these businesses. This is a recurring issue this time of year. It was almost exactly one year ago that Monongalia County Litter Control Officer Alex Hall said he was getting inundated with calls about missed trash pickups in the county. Hall suggested reaching out to the trash hauler in question, then making a formal complaint to the WVPSC. The PSC hotline is 800-344-5113. West Virginia Code mandates all individuals have and use trash service or deliver their trash to the transfer station no less than every 30 days. In the meantime, Bloom said he would forward the complaints along to the service provider. In addition to Republic, other haulers operating in Monongalia County include Mountain State Waste and Morgantown Disposal.
