An extension of the runway at Cook County Airport has been in the works for several years. In August 2014 it appeared that the project would finally be getting off the ground, with work to be done by Northland Constructors. However the contractor’s bid was submitted with the assumption that a temporary access road could be built and used during construction. When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USCOE) denied the permit necessary to construct the temporary road to the airport, the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) recommended rebidding the project. On January 20, the county board reviewed the new bids and once again accepted the bid from Northland Constructors, the lowest bidder. The new estimate is $263,580 higher than the previous bid.
In November 2014, Darren Christopher of RS&H, the aviation firm working with Cook County on the runway extension, informed the county board that the Corps of Engineers would not grant a permit to fill 750 square feet of wetland if there is an alternative haul route that can be used. Christopher also said the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) had commented on the potential clearing of 0.60 acres. Because Cook County is a critical habitat for the Canadian lynx and the brown long-eared bat, USFWS indicated it would not “provide concurrence” for the clearing because an alternate route is available and should be utilized.
Because of the Corps of Engineers’ denial, the board agreed to rebid the project, with the help of RS&H, which agreed not to charge the county any additional costs for the rebidding process. The latest requests for bids brought two submissions, from KGM Contractors with a bid of $1,873,294.50 and Northland Constructors with the lower bid of $1,731,780.
The runway extension is being financed in the most part by funding from the FAA. Christopher of RS&H said the FAA allows grant amendments of up to 15 percent, so the increased cost of the rebid should be approved. The original grant request to the FAA was for a project of $2,181,754 with the FAA covering 90 percent of the cost. The rebid grant amount is $2,445,334 with the federal government again covering 90 percent of the cost, $2,200,810.
At the January 20 meeting, Auditor Braidy Powers told commissioners it is likely the FAA will approve the amended grant expense. In the event the FAA does not accept the change, Powers said the county has funding earmarked for the airport project. He said three years ago when the Devil Track Road (County Road 8) was reconstructed in front of the airport, the county highway department was required to purchase road right-of-way. The money for the right-of-way was paid to the county with the condition that it be set aside for airport improvements. Powers said there is $300,000 in that fund.
Commissioners passed a unanimous motion to accept the bid from Northland Constructors, but concern was expressed over the increased cost and time delay. Commissioner Garry Gamble said he would like more information on the USCOE denial, noting that wetlands and critical habitat for the Canadian lynx and brown long-eared bat were both cited. “What I’d like to learn is which of these were the reason this was denied,” said Gamble.
Commissioner Frank Moe agreed, noting that the Fish and Wildlife Service had not yet made its decision on whether or not the brown long-eared bat would be named to the endangered species list. “While the other reasons are lawful, for an agency to use that [the brown longeared bat] to deny a permit would be unlawful. For an agency to do so is alarming,” said Moe.
Cook County’s runway extension and widening project consists of expanding the runway from 4,200 to 5,000 feet. The extension and widening will enable larger wildfire fighting aircraft, all-weather medical evacuation aircraft and larger commercial and private aircraft to safely land.
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