City asks for opinions on airport

Conway residents are invited to express opinions about the proposed new airport in Lollie Bottoms at a public hearing from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the McGee Center.

Plans are for the new airport to have a 5,000-foot runway expandable to 7,000 feet, according to City Engineer Ronnie Hall, with total cost estimated at $10 million plus.

Following the public hearing and after the master plan is completed, the city will advertise for consulting services to prepare construction plans. It may take a year to get those ready for FAA approval, Hall said.

Once that occurs, and if the FAA has matching money available, the city will be ready to advertise for bids for construction.

The current airport, Cantrell Field, does not meet FAA requirements for business jets, and its location within the city limits is a safety issue, Hall said.

The proposed site is about 3.5 miles south of Dave Ward Drive down Lollie Road.

(Staff writer Becky Harris can be reached by e-mail at becky.harris@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236.)