NR Airport gets funding

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Investing in and improving the New Richmond Airport could bring more than 100 jobs to the area.

That’s according to New Richmond Airport Manager Mike Demulling.

On Wednesday, the governor’s office sent word that Gov. Jim Doyle approved a $468,695 project for engineering and construction-related services at the New Richmond Regional Airport. State funds will cover $11,717, and the City of New Richmond will pay $11,718. The Federal Aviation Administration is providing $445,260.

The funds will be used to develop a northeast hangar area, which will include construction of a connecting taxiway, hangar taxi lanes and an entrance road. The project will provide additional room for future development, according to Gayle Stearn, airport development engineer with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

“We don’t have any development on the northeast side,” Demulling said.

They’ve had this project in mind for a few years, he said. This year was just the right time to do it, especially since businesses have expressed interest in the airport.

“We have several good prospects,” said Demulling, although he couldn’t release any names yet. If those plans go through, another 160-170 jobs would be added to the New Richmond market. Currently there are about 30 people working at the airport.

Improvements to the airport will lead to money being spent in New Richmond.

“For every dollar spent on construction, about $11 is returned to the economy in the short term,” Demulling said.

Bids for the project actually came in lower than they expected, he said. They were opened a few months ago.

Construction will start just as soon as the contractors are ready. Some equipment is already on-site.

“We’re all set to go,” Demulling said. The project should take about 30 working days, from start to finish.

Currently, about 165 aircraft are based at the airport, with approximately 30,000-35,000 take-offs and landings each year.

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