Saturday, August 17, 2013

Menomonie Municipal Airport (KLUM) runway closures begin next month for lighting upgrades

Menomonie Municipal Airport 
All runways closed: Sept. 21 to Oct. 5. 
One runway closed: Sept. 3-20 and Oct. 6-24. 


MENOMONIE — The Menomonie Municipal Airport is scheduled to close down partially for the next two months — completely for about two weeks — this fall for a $690,000 runway upgrade.

The project calls for replacing current runway lights with LED lights to save energy. The north-south runway is scheduled to be closed from Sept. 3 to 25.

Both the north-south and the east-west runways will be closed from Sept. 21 to Oct. 5.

The east-west runway is scheduled to remain closed from Oct. 6 to 24.

The dates are tentative and will be updated if there are changes, Menomonie public works director Randy Eide said.

“It’s needed,” Eide said of replacing the lights. “Some lights have been going out in places. It is the original lighting.”

Eide said he can’t recall the airport being completely shut down on any previous occasion.

“We’re trying to get the word out so pilots know,” Eide said. “In the end there will be a more reliable lighting system.”

Directional and informational signs for pilots also will be updated as part of the project.

Both runways will be shut down because they cross each other. Shutting them down simultaneously allows work, being conducted by J & L Steel & Electrical Services of Hudson, to be done more safely and quickly.

The city will pay $25,500 toward the project. The state will pay that same amount, with the remaining $638,000 to be covered by federal money.

During runway closures, pilots are advised to use Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire or Boyceville Municipal Airport.

Source:  http://www.leadertelegram.com