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Grant County Port District 7 commissioners OK’d a contract with J-U-B Engineers to do an Airport Geographic Information System study during the current year.

The project, approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, will begin soon and involves an aerial mapping of the airport and surrounding area, identifying any obstructions that might interfere with airplane activity in the area.

Commission President James Keene said at the commissioners’ meeting Thursday that the cost of the project will be about $97,000, and needs to be done while the leaves are still on the trees. The finished report will become part of the airport’s strategic plan and will be scheduled for action at a later date.

The FAA will provide 90 percent of the funding for the project the state Department of Transportation (airport) will provide 5 percent, with the rest up to the port district, just under $5,000.

A project designed for next year (2017) will be a re-sealing of the paved runway. Half-inch cracks will be filled as part of this project to prevent frost-heave erosion on the runway.

The airport has a 4,200-foot paved runway.