The Kissimmee Gateway Airport is blessed with plenty of elbow room to grow along Dyer and Hoagland boulevards, and the City of Kissimmee is leveraging that space to create foundations for future developments and expansions.
The airport is a growing hub for the Orlando area and the attractions and tourism corridor for general aviation. Improvements being made will reap benefits on the development side, and on the functionality side of transportation to assist pilots.
Friday afternoon, the city announced the centerpiece of the upgrade, a $5.8 million taxiway expansion project. Specifically, Taxiway Echo will be extended about 1,600 feet, in order to enhance air traffic circulation in an emerging quadrant of the Airport. Taxiway Hotel will also get a facelift, with new taxiway edge lights and signs, to establish even better visibility for pilots. (“Echo” and “Hotel” are phonetic terms used by pilots and air traffic control for runway and taxiway navigation.)
The bulk of the funds for the project are coming from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) as part of their investment to make safety enhancements in airports across the United States, the city said. The project is estimated to cost $5,861,441, of which the Federal Aviation Authority is providing over $5.2 million, or about 90%. The Florida Department of Transportation ($468,000) is also a funding partner, with the Airport itself absorbing the remaining $117,230.
An aircraft hangar constructed in the 1980s and last used for cargo aircraft, was in poor condition, and is being dismantled to make way for what’s coming, the city and airport said. Approximately ten acres next to the new Taxiway Echo will provide an opportunity to support future hangars and more aviation businesses at the Airport.
The work is slated for completion later this fall.
“As an economic engine, I appreciate it when the airport is able to inject $5.8M into our local economy with projects of this nature,” Kissimmee Director of Aviation Shaun Germolus said. “I’m also excited this enables the airport to redevelop ten acres for additional economic development and job creation.
“For those who drive past Dyer Blvd and are used to seeing the bright blue structure every day, know we are making room for exceptional growth.”
Information from the City of Kissimmee was used in this report.
