Steamboat Pilot & Today

On Tuesday, Routt County commissioners chose Snow Country Construction to complete the first phase of improvements at Yampa Valley Regional Airport.

Snow Country Construction was one of four contractors to bid on the project. The bid it submitted was for about $750,000 and was the lowest bid commissioners received.

"We picked the low bidder, that's the primary thing," Routt County Commissioner Doug Monger said.

The total estimated cost of the first phase was $940,000, Routt County Manager Tom Sullivan said. Bids ranged from $750,000 to $880,000.

The commissioners' approval is contingent upon approval from the county's attorney, who is on vacation but will return this week.

The first phase of the project will include a 4,300-square-foot expansion of the northeast side of the terminal for queuing, ticketing and baggage checking, and screening, YVRA Aviation Director Jim Parker said. The expansion will replace the plastic tents that were used for baggage screening and passenger lines last winter.

The goal is to have this phase finished before ski season.

Eventually, about $17.8 million in improvements could be made to the airport.

"We're hoping we get the building that we need," Parker said.

After the second and third phases are completed, the first phase will be converted to a second baggage claim area with an additional baggage return belt.

Ross Partnerships, an architectural firm from Aspen, was selected to draw plans for the improvements about a year ago.

Funding for the project is expected to come mostly from the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Improvement Program. About $2.5 million for the project needs to be raised locally through revenue bonds, sales- or property-tax increases or increased parking fees at the airport.

Parker and Monger said they are looking forward to proceeding with the project.

"We're very happy to get the local bidders out biding on the project. ... We feel very confident with the construction firm that we did select, knowing that they're going to be able to get done with the project and get it done in time," Monger said.