Facing the construction of a nearby city road, Indiana’s Freeman Municipal Airport in Seymour will soon embark on a major runway relocation project that will lop 1,000 feet off the northeast end of 5,500-foot Runway 5/23 and add 1,500 feet to its southwest end. The $5 million project, which will be paid for entirely by the city, will give the airport a 6,000-foot runway, which it believes will help attract more large private aircraft. As well, adjoining Taxiway Alpha will be extended by 1,500 feet.
While no federal Airport Improvement Program funds will be used in the project, the FAA issued its approval in December, and the window for contractor proposals will close at the end of this month. Airport manager Don Furlow told AIN that the winning bid will be selected next month and construction will commence soon after, with the project expected to last five months.
Furlow noted the general aviation airport will not close during that period, with most traffic being diverted to 5,502-foot Runway 14/22, which will also see some disruption during the construction of the parallel taxiway crossing. The project will also help pilots further differentiate between the two runways, which currently meet in a 90-degree angle at their southern ends, an issue that has previously caused the FAA concern due to the possibility of misidentification.