Delaware Coastal Airport taxiway replacement to begin soon
Work is expected to begin in about two months on a new taxiway to improve safety at the Sussex County-owned Delaware Coastal Airport. Additionally, a new security system will be installed this year.
Airport Manager Bob Bryant said during the Jan. 22 Airport Advisory Committee meeting that a bid has been awarded for the first phase of the four-phase project to build a taxiway that complies with Federal Aviation Administration standards.
People must cross the current taxiway when walking from the terminal to planes, which is a safety hazard, Bryant said. The taxiway will be moved to the opposite side of the runway.
Work is expected to begin by the end of March or in April, Bryant said.
A $3,375,555 bid – the lowest of three received – was awarded in June to Allan Myers Construction, which has several facilities across the state. Another $480,000 will be paid to Delta Airport Consultants for construction administrative services.
The total cost of the taxiway is projected to top $15 million, with work scheduled to continue over the next five years. The FAA will pay 90% of project costs; the county will cover the balance.
When completed, the new taxiway will be the length of the 550-foot runway. Much of the drainage work for the overall project is in this year’s phase, which will include the middle of the taxiway across from the terminal, Bryant said.
Ron Verosko, manager of safety and security for the county, said an outdated, 20-year-old security system for accessing the airport will be replaced at a cost of $106,855. The hardware and labor were purchased from Advantech through a state bid awarded in February 2024.
Kevin Conlon came to the Cape Gazette with nearly 40 years of newspaper experience since graduating from St. Bonaventure University in New York with a bachelor's degree in mass communication. He reports on Sussex County government and other assignments as needed.
His career spans working as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers in upstate New York, including The Daily Gazette in Schenectady. He comes to the Cape Gazette from the Cortland Standard, where he was an editor for more than 25 years, and in recent years also contributed as a columnist and opinion page writer. He and his staff won regional and state writing awards.
Conlon was relocating to Lewes when he came across an advertisement for a reporter job at the Cape Gazette, and the decision to pursue it paid off. His new position gives him an opportunity to stay in a career that he loves, covering local news for an independently owned newspaper.
Conlon is the father of seven children and grandfather to two young boys. In his spare time, he trains for and competes in triathlons and other races. Now settling into the Cape Region, he is searching out hilly trails and roads with wide shoulders. He is a fan of St. Bonaventure sports, especially rugby and basketball, as well as following the Mets, Steelers and Celtics.
