Nueces County clears RFP for airport hangar lease and asks TxDOT to study road connection to I‑69

At its April 30 meeting, the Nueces County Commissioners Court approved releasing a request for proposals (RFP) to lease an underutilized airport hangar and require the successful lessee to make specified improvements under contract milestones. County staff said the action is intended to attract a private operator to rehabilitate the 30‑year‑old facility without using county capital for the work.

Separately, a commissioner asked staff to submit a request to the Texas Department of Transportation’s rural program to evaluate creating a direct road connection from the county airport to I‑69. The court directed the public‑works director to check the feasibility of possible routes, to determine whether existing county roads meet TxDOT standards, and to report back; the motion passed unanimously.

Key details: Purchasing and airport staff said the RFP will ask proposers to describe lease terms and improvement milestones; an evaluation committee will include the airport director, the county engineer and an airport advisory‑board member. Staff emphasized the county is not pledging county funds for hangar rehab as part of the RFP; any bid would oblige the lessee to complete milestones in the lease.

Why it matters: Improved hangar use and direct highway access could make the county airport more viable, support aviation activity and economic development, and reduce reliance on approaches that pass through populated areas, a commissioner said.

Next steps: Purchasing will publish the RFP and staff will follow up with TxDOT and return to the court with findings on road feasibility and any funding or standards requirements.