Governor Doyle announces $597,000 project at Sawyer County Airport

March 4, 2008

Governor Jim Doyle has approved a $596,846 project for planning, design and construction at the Sawyer County Airport. The Governor's action releases $21,948 in state funds purchase land, seal coat airfield pavements, purchase snow removal equipment, pave a hangar access road, provide reimbursement for planning and environmental assessment services, and deer fencing. Sawyer County is contributing another $21,948, and the Federal Aviation Administration is providing $552,950.

According to Matt Malicki, airport development engineer with the state Department of Transportation, the land purchase project will give the airport the ability to protect the approaches, thus assuring pilots the ability to safely take off and land with no threat of future obstructions. The airfield pavement seal coat is expected to prolong the serviceable life of the airfield. The snow removal equipment will help with services currently contracted out by the airport. The paving of the hangar access road will improve airfield operations; currently, the airport has only a gravel access road to the hangar area. Planning and design of all items is an ongoing process, with construction schedules to be determined at a later date.

Facilities at the Sawyer County Airport include a 5,000-foot paved primary runway and 1,240-foot turf airstrip that together accommodate some 10,400 aircraft take-offs and landings each year. About 28 aircraft are based at the airport, many of them corporate-owned.

For information contact:
Matt Malicki, WisDOT Airport Development Engineer
(608) 266-0902, matthew.malicki@dot.state.wi.us