Patterson airport gets $400,000 grant for runway work

The Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport runway near Patterson is set to get a makeover this fall after receiving federal grant money for the project.
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded a $419,820 grant to the St. Mary Parish Council to rehab the airport’s runway. The Federal Aviation Administration will disburse the funds.
Grant money will fund crack filling and seal coating to rehabilitate 5,400 feet of runway to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris, according to the Department of Transportation’s website.
The filling and coating will help extend the life of the runway until officials have to do a full-scale re-overlay of the runway with asphalt, said St. Mary Parish Chief Administrative Officer Henry “Bo” LaGrange, who serves as airport manager.
The project also involves replacing runway markings that have faded during the past 10 years, LaGrange said.
“Louisiana’s regional airports support local businesses and keep our state competitive,” U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, said in a news release. “This grant funding will allow Harry P. Williams Memorial (Airport) to rehabilitate its runway, ensuring Patterson and the surrounding communities have a high-functioning airport supporting job creation.”
The project will take 45 days and is expected to begin in October or November, LaGrange said.
The runway will be closed intermittently during the 45-day period, and airport officials will notify users of the airport of those closures, LaGrange said.