By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Ground has officially been broken at Rosecrans to officially unveil the start of work on the new runway.
Funds from the city, state, and federal government have helped fund the projects at the airport.
Airport Manager Julius Rice says all the support received has been tremendous.
"Rosecrans is an airport for its size that swings way above its batting average, we have great support having the 139th here as a guard unit, we have great support from obviously the city being a city airport, but state elected representatives are always looking for us out here," Rice tells reporters following a groundbreaking ceremony.
"And then as you mentioned all the way up on the federal side with Congressman Graves being the chair of the transportation committee that definitely doesn't hurt."
Phase one of the work on the south end of the runway began in April.
Commander of the 139th Colonel John Cluck says this runway project helps bring the Airlift Wing up to par with everyone else in the country.
"There's no better place to host and have an Air Force wing other than Rosecrans right here," Cluck says. "We replaced the crosswind runway in 2017, now we've replaced the main runway six years later, these are improvements for the city, facilities as well as the ones we operate for the 139th, and it just once again solidifies our position in the community."
Rice says the runway upgrades will help even beyond benefiting the 139th Airlift Wing based at the airport.
"As we build new terminal, build new tower, eventually get more property to the south as the base moves north, we'll have the capability of bringing more economic development into the area through more companies, more corporations, more businesses," Rice explains. "Which should bring jobs and money to the community as a whole."
Work on the runway should be done in November. Rice says there's potential three projects could be ongoing as work on the tower and terminal are also being done.
