CHARLESTON W.Va. — An access road.
It might not sound like much, but to Yeager Airport and airports around the country, it’s crucial for development. Yeager Airport will soon have that general aviation access road.
Many were on-hand at Yeager Airport for the groundbreaking ceremony of the access road at the Capital Jet Center.
“This is the road to opportunity for Yeager Airport,” Terry Sayre, Yeager Airport Director, said. “It’s a great day for us and we are very happy to get this funding.”
The airport was approved a $3.7 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for the access road in September. The road will provide access to 25 acres of flat land at the airport where Sayre and other airport officials are planning future developments.
“I think it’ll be good for the whole economy here,” he said. “It’s going to provide jobs, training, provide opportunities for people to come, pilots eventually.”
In addition to the grant, the state of West Virginia provided $412,000 for the project, which should begin soon according to Sayre.
“They are going to be starting the work here probably next month,” he said. “We have to relocate the security fence first before we can do any of the other real work, but we will try to get the fence relocated before spring.
“This has probably been in the works for a couple years now. Just the planning, trying to figure out how we could do it, how we could get here, and what we needed to do.”
One of the future developments discussed is a partnership with Marshall University for an aviation school on the site. Sayre also stated this will help them to put up cargo facilities and improve hangars.
John Priddy, Yeager Airport Customer Service Manager at the Capital Jet Center, said he expects a potential 200 students at first in the aviation school.
“After it gets going and word gets out, hopefully, it can grow bigger,” he said. “People may just think this is just a road, but the road is going to lead to a few other things they have in mind.”
“I think in the long run, next couple of years there’s going to be a lot more jobs and a lot more opportunities for people to get jobs around here.”
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Congressman Alex Mooney and the entire Kanawha County Commission were among the elected officials on hand for the groundbreaking.