WGBC-TV Meridian/Twin State News
Airports in Meridian, Clarke County to receive safety upgrades
Joseph Jernigan, Twin States News
Meridian's Key Field and Clarke County Airports have received federal funding for upgrades to ensure aviation safety. Twin States News learned more about what upgrades the airports are receiving and how it will affect aviation safety in the area.
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi announced that nine airports would be receiving upgrades after the state received $17.3 million through the Airport Improvement Program grant funding.
“Airport Improvement Program grants will allow more Mississippi airfields to maintain and improve their facilities, and to bring them into compliance with current safety standards," Senator Hyde-Smith said in a statement.
Key Field in Meridian and Clarke County Airport near Quitman were included to receive major upgrades from the grant money with Key Field receiving over $1.2 million and Clarke County receiving just over $360,000.
Tom Williams, president of the Meridian Airport Authority, walked Twin States through the upgrades Key Field would receive.
"The first is to mark the airfield, which is all the runway stripes and taxiway stripes. The white and yellow stripes you see in the pictures...The rest of the money is spent on drainage, rehabbing and improving some of our World War two era drainage which, believe it or not, gets old and starts having problems. So before we have any problems, we're rehabbing a lot of that drainage with a cured in place liner, which will last another 50 or more years," Williams said.
Clarke County Airport officials gave this statement regarding the upgrades coming to the airport: "We're currently in the process of upgrading runway lighting and approach lighting. Future upgrades include private hangars, a new beacon and a wind direction indicator."
Both airports explained they were happy to receive the funding, so they can ensure the utmost aviation safety in our area.