Airport construction project fails to attract bidders

The Cedar Rapids Airport Commission will re-advertise for a $100,000 construction project at The Eastern Iowa Airport failed to attract any bids from contractors.

The commission on Monday was prepared to open bids for the renovation of a general aviation hangar apron and taxiway after approving the plans and specifications. But Operations Director Sara Mau said Eastern Iowa contractors who normally bid on such projects said the rainy weather is delaying work on many projects, preventing them from meeting the deadline for completing the airport work.

“We've agreed to extend the deadline,” Mau said. “It will mean that the project will take a little longer to complete than originally planned.”

Mau said reconstruction of the airport's main runway is proceeding on schedule. The $46 million project, which includes reconstruction of the intersection of the main and secondary runways, will be funded by $40 million of federal grants and $6 million of airport commission funds.

Hawkins Construction of Omaha, the general contractor for the airport runway project, has a history of completing work on time and on budget. Mau said all the concrete was poured for the runway by Aug. 1 and work is progressing on connecting a new electrical vault to the main and secondary runways.

A 7,500-foot taxiway was converted to a temporary runway to allow for the closure of the main and secondary runways for 25 days in July.