Work will begin soon to replace the main runway at the Davenport Airport. The project will be done in two phases - one will start in August, with the second phase set for next spring.
Airport Manager Tom Vesalga says the runway was originally built in 1948, and some sections from that time still remain.
"This has gotten to the point where the original concrete that remains is 70 years old. It's failing at a faster rate and it's not cost-effective anymore to replace each panel, one panel at a time. So we're going to rip out everything and start fresh."
The total cost of the project will be 6.7 million dollars, with 85 per cent coming from the federal government and 15 per cent from the city of Davenport.
The main runway is 5,500 hundred feet long and each phase will replace about 1500 feet at either end. The middle section was replaced 2 years ago.
Vesalga says a recent study showed the Davenport Airport has an economic impact on the community of more than 20 million dollars a year - in salaries, sales, and fees.