Airport board eyes Palmer bridge, Rostraver restroom
Work should begin soon to install a new passenger bridge at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and extend utility lines for a new restroom at Rostraver Airport.
The Westmoreland County Airport Authority awarded a $106,145 contract to Arcon Contracting for laying water and sewer lines to serve a new modular restroom planned for the Rostraver Airport’s T-hangar area.
Arcon, already the low bidder for the project at $153,800, reduced its quoted cost by $47,655.
“It was the result of a clarification, after some discussions with the contractor,” authority engineer Scott Kunselman said.
The state Bureau of Aviation has approved a $160,500 grant for the project, also covering engineering and construction of a building. The authority will be responsible for a local share of $53,500.
Work crews are finishing rehabilitation of a parallel taxiway at Rostraver, which will be complete with placement of final markings.
Delivery of the new passenger boarding bridge is expected in early June at the Palmer airport in Unity, after the airport plays host to the Shop ’n Save Westmoreland County Air Show on May 25 to 26.
“Hopefully, we can get that project finished up by the end of June,” Kunselman said.
The new one is better suited for larger Airbus planes Spirit Airlines uses for flights from Arnold Palmer, providing a more gradual slope between the terminal and the aircraft door.
The airport’s existing bridge, which predated the start of Spirit service in 2011, had to be modified but will remain in place and ready for use, Kunselman said. “The new one is a little more tailored,” he said.
Officials said the authority has sold 375 tickets to the air show’s VIP area — a tent with food and beverages, a cash bar, restroom trailer and free parking. The tickets are available at palmerairport.com at $150, $50 for children ages 6 to 12 with an adult.
General admission tickets cost $15 in advance at Shop ’n Save supermarkets, $25 at the gate. There is an additional $5 parking fee that benefits local volunteer firefighters.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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