Work on airport expansion heads for spring completion
By Rapids City Times staff
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Work on upgrades to South Wood County Airport-Alexander Field has progressed since the May 2018 groundbreaking for the improvement project.
While paving has been stalled on the apron construction as fall turns to winter, much of the state-funded work has been completed, and officials say that they will be the “first paving to get done when they fire up the plant in the spring.”
Funding from the state’s 2017-19 biennial budget, totaling $4 million, is being used for an apron expansion and reconstruction, parallel taxiways for safer access to and from active runways, LED runway lighting and surface upgrades, and planning for a corporate hangar area.
The overall project also includes $5.65 million in federal funding for a Taxiway B stormwater mitigation project, the widening and reconstruction of Runway 12/30, and the construction of another runway.
The airport expansion is to accommodate growing tourism and development in the central Wisconsin area.
“With the ongoing development of Sand Valley Golf Resort in the Town of Rome, people from around the world are coming to central Wisconsin and can see investment opportunity here,” said Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Zach Vruwink said in an earlier statement. “The upgrading of Alexander Field-South Wood County Airport offers additional incentive for visitors to invest in our workforce and the area.”
The new airport layout will allow for 20 large jet aircraft and create an environment for further expansion.
The project is planned for completion in the spring of 2019.
Alexander Field, 3620 First St. South, Wisconsin Rapids, is managed by the city of Wisconsin Rapids and is jointly owned by the city of Wisconsin Rapids, town of Grand Rapids, village of Port Edwards, and city of Nekoosa
To follow the progress of the upgrade project, follow South Wood County Alexander Field Airport on Facebook.