Engineer reports: obstruction removal done; Priest River pavement work will require multi‑day closures, SRE building bids far exceed estimates

Dur Group engineering consultant Trey Dale told the Bonner County Airport Advisory Board on April 3 that obstruction removal at Sandpoint is complete and closeout paperwork is underway, including a grant amendment to fund an FAA flight check for PAPIs. Trey said the county will execute a reimbursable agreement with the FAA for the flight check and that scheduling the flight check may take several months.

At Priest River, the taxiway and apron project is complete and a closeout report was submitted to the FAA in mid‑March; Trey said staff expects final grant closeout in May–June after responding to minor FAA comments. He also described an ALP (Airport Layout Plan) narrative update submitted in March that county staff will review, followed by a selection of a preferred alternative and a future public meeting to present final plans.

Trey reported bids for a new snow‑removal equipment (SRE) building at Priest River came in substantially above engineer estimates: the engineer’s estimate was about $400,000 while the low bidder came in at roughly $728,000 and other bids were higher. Trey said staff is considering alternatives including rebidding with a longer bidding window or awarding the contract; the FAA indicated the grant is approved and that rebid hold requirements could be shortened if the county rebids.

On pavement maintenance, staff said the county will advertise in April, open bids in May, and schedule work for mid‑July. Priest River’s runway will require an estimated 8–12 day full closure for seal work, followed by two days in August for permanent markings; temporary markings would be used until permanent markings are applied 30 days later. Trey cautioned the runway rehabilitation project that would replace the pavement is on a long horizon (staff estimated sometime between 2030 and 2040) and that the maintenance work is intended to extend pavement life until rehabilitation can occur.

Board members and staff also discussed practical constraints: difficulty obtaining access to remove certain trees, the higher cost and administrative burdens associated with federal grant‑funded construction (Davis‑Bacon, certifications), and that some airport projects depend on contractor availability and market volatility.