b'52 BIS WINTER OPERATIONSBismarck Airport Adds New Snow Removal Equipment Facility BY MIKE SCHWANZAmid the angst, upheavalFunding for the $19 million project and tragedy that COVID-19included: 2 years of Bipartisan unleashed, there were alsoInfrastructure Law (BIL) funding from isolated slivers of opportunity. One of those2022 to 2024; Coronavirus Aid, Relief and rare instances occurred at Bismarck AirportEconomic Security Act (CARES) funds; a (BIS) in North Dakota.grant from the ND Aeronautics Commission; Airport Directorand airport funds. The BIL and CARES Greg Haug knew hisAct funds really made the project possible. staff needed a biggerWe were very fortunate how all the funding FACTS&FIGURESbuilding for its snowcame together, Haug says. Project: New Snow Removal Equipment Building removal equipment.Once funding was in place, the airport Location: Bismarck Airport, in ND At the time, vehiclesexecuted its architects contract in February and attachments2022 and its engineering firms contract in Size: 40,000 sq. ft.were housed in threeGREG HAUG March 2022. Construction bids were then Cost: $19 million ($10.5 million for building; $8.5 millionseparate facilities, andsent out and received in August 2022.for site improvements) the airfield maintenance department was Funding: FAA grants; CARES Act disbursements; NDstill running out of room. But the airportDivision of DutiesAeronautics Commission state funds; airport funds had other capital improvement priorities.Because the airport hired bl Design Group Project Timeline: Architect & engineer hired in Feb. For example, we were getting readyand KLJ Engineering to work on the project & March 2022; construction bids issued & received Aug.simultaneously, it was imperative that their 2022; construction April 2023-Feb. 2024 to expand our terminal in 2020 when the pandemic hit, Haug says. Afterresponsibilities were clearly defined. Each Architectural Design: bl Design Group company already had a five-year contract experiencing a dramatic drop in passenger Consulting Engineer: KLJ Engineering traffic, we shelved the terminal expansion,with BIS, and both are currently in the Prime General Contractor: Northern Improvement and proceeded to make plans to build amiddle of those contracts. Building Contractor: Capital City Construction new snow removal equipment storageThis was the first project in which Prime Electrical Contractor: Edling Electric building. we collaborated, so when we started Prime Mechanical Contractor: Cofell Plumbing The new 40,000-square-foot buildingplanning, we decided right away the & Heating has enough room to store all of theboundaries and scope for each company. Steel Manufacturer: Nucor airports snow removal equipment underA line was drawn dividing up the Benefits: Larger facility can store all snow removalone roof (see list on Page 55), and alsoresponsibilities, states Jeff Ubl, president equipment in same building, with room for maintenanceincludes a maintenance station andof bl Design Group. From 7 feet away & wash areas; new site provides maintenance personnelseparate vehicle wash area. from the building perimeter, KLJ was better view of airfield to evaluate snow conditions October 2024AirportImprovement.com'