Governor Doyle approves $3.5 million project at General Mitchell International Airport

July 7, 2008

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has approved a project $3,537,960 to complete airfield safety improvements, airfield pavement rehabilitation, reconstruct a taxiway, reconstruct and relight Air Cargo Way, rehabilitate a storm water box tunnel, and build a perimeter fence at Milwaukee County's General Mitchell International Airport. The Governor's action releases $442,245 in state funds to help complete the work. Milwaukee County is contributing $442,245 and the Federal Aviation Administration is providing $2,653,470. U.S. Senator Herb Kohl has been instrumental in securing federal funds for the airport.

According to Wendy Hottenstein, airport development engineer with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the projects will reconstruct the badly deteriorated concrete overlay on one taxiway, reconstruct badly deteriorated concrete and lighting fixtures on Air Cargo Way, repair areas of pavement on other runways and taxiways, replace an existing six-foot fence with a ten-foot security and wildlife deterrent perimeter fence, and make other repairs and improvements.

The project is expected to begin this spring and be completed by December 2008.

General Mitchell International Airport has five hard-surfaced runways that accommodate over seven million passengers and 215,000 aircraft take-offs and landings each year. More information on Mitchell International Airport can be found at www.mitchellairport.com.

For more informatin, contact:
Wendy Hottenstein, WisDOT airport development engineer
(608) 261-6278, wendy.hottenstein@dot.state.wi.us

Pat Rowe, General Mitchell International Airport
(414) 747-4545, prowe@mitchellairport.com