Watertown City Council Strategically Approves $3.18 Million Airport Taxiway Reconstruction
- Steve Jurrens
- Apr 21
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council moved to secure long-term infrastructure at the Watertown Regional Airport on Monday night, unanimously approving a $3,181,502.70 bid award for the reconstruction of Taxiway Alpha. By accelerating the project now, city officials expect to lock in higher federal funding rates before a scheduled decrease in 2027.
The contract, awarded to J&J Earth Works, Inc. of Milbank, SD, combines two phases of work into a single multi-year project. The base bid covers the reconstruction of 2,400 feet of the taxiway, while an alternate bid adds 1,200 feet, effectively completing the entire length of Taxiway Alpha.
Airport Director Ian Merriweather-Chalfant explained that a looming change in federal grant structures drove the decision to pursue the entire project now. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) covers 95% of eligible project costs. However, that federal share is set to drop to 90% in fiscal year 2027.
“With our federal share dropping from 95% to 90% in ’27, we thought it prudent to get bid proposals back for additional length of taxiway to see how far our money could go in ’26 and in ’27,” Merriweather-Chalfant told the Council.
Financial Breakdown and Savings
The strategic timing significantly limits the city’s direct financial burden. While the total project cost is over $3 million, the city’s total local share is estimated at just $104,875.
· Total Project Cost: $3,181,502.70.
· Engineering and Administration: Additional costs bring the total estimated project scale to approximately $3.77 million.
· Federal Share (FY2026): 95% ($2.8 million for the base bid).
· Local Share: 2.5% for FY2026 and 5% for FY2027.
“Just want to say thanks for taking the time to look ahead and catch that change,” said Councilman Heuer. “I mean, that’s a lot of dollars that we’d be losing out on if we pushed it out. 5% at those scales is a lot of money... while it can be a much better rate for us, we’re going to get a lot more from the feds. In economics, you call it a J-curve. We’re going to have a little dip, but it pays off later”.
Scope of Work
The reconstruction is a comprehensive overhaul of the taxiway as identified in the Airport Layout Plan (ALP). Beyond asphalt pavement, the work includes:
· Grading and disposal of excess material.
· Installation of geotextile separator fabric and crushed aggregate base.
· New underdrain piping and pavement marking.
· Advanced electrical work, including medium-intensity LED taxiway lighting with “Arctic Kits” and new airfield signage.
The Council’s unanimous vote (6-0) authorizes the project to move forward, contingent upon the formal receipt of an FAA Grant Offer. City Manager Alan Stager was also authorized to sign the necessary FAA applications and contract documents to meet what are expected to be tight federal deadlines.
