WHEELING – The Wheeling-Ohio County Airport will receive $1.6 million for needed upgrades to its air traffic towers courtesy of the federal government.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va. – a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee – announced Tuesday the funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The money will go toward the replacement of cab windows, building repairs, and addressing water damage in the control towers.

“I’m pleased that DOT is investing $1.6 million to repair the air traffic control tower at the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport,” Manchin said in a released statement. “West Virginia’s airports are crucial gateways to the rest of the world, and the funding announced today will boost local tourism and spur economic development.”

Ohio County Administrator Randy Russell indicated receiving the federal dollars was a bit of a surprise for the county. That was because Ohio County had previously received federal money for repairs to the runways and apron at the airport.

“We were pleasantly surprised,” he said. “We had received money in one of the earlier rounds. Typically, once you get some money, you don’t see more in subsequent rounds.

“We were lucky to get two (allocations) this time.”

The money comes under the FAA Contract Tower program, as the federal government contracts with Ohio County for use of the towers at the county’s airport, Russell explained. This makes the county eligible to receive FAA funding to maintain the towers.

“The glass in the tower has to be replaced every so often because it is so high up it gets pitted,” Russell said. “In other areas where there has been water filtration there will be repairs.”

The FAA had considered ending the contract a few months back, but then-U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., and other members of the state’s delegation pushed to keep them open.

“The FAA periodically looks at closing contract towers,” Russell explained. “They contract out to various subcontractors. As funding is available – or not available – they look to save money.

“Luckily, with the work federal legislators put into it, that kept it open.”

McKinley previously obtained money from the Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending (CPFCDS) program to repair the apron at the airport. Russell said the funding announced will cover the cost of the planned repairs, and no federal match will be required.

“They will reimburse us the money to do the work,” he explained.

The first step in the process will be design, and county officials will meet with representatives for Jacobs Engineering to come up with a design plan for the project.

Once the design is completed, the project will go to bid, Russell continued. That is expected to happen by late spring.

“Hopefully, we will have a lot of bidders,” he added.