Ocala commissioners on Tuesday approved a $5.25-million contract – largely funded by grants – for rehabilitation of the main taxiway at Ocala International Airport.
The full-length taxiway services the primary runway at the airport and is showing various forms of pavement failure. The contract for the work is with DAB Constructors Inc., which submitted the lowest of two bids. The other bidder, C.W. Roberts Contracting, submitted a proposal for a little more than $6.23 million.
The overwhelming majority of the funding for the project is being provided by two grants the city received. The Federal Aviation Administration is picking up the largest share of the tab at about $4.73 million. A Florida Department of Transportation grant is providing $420,440. And the city’s portion is just $105,110.
The project already is under way and should take about 450 days to complete. The work on the taxiway – the oldest section of pavement is 30 years old – is being completed in phases in an effort to minimize disruptions in normal air traffic activity.