RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Two projects totaling more than $4 million in cost are improving the runway and fire station at Randolph Air Force Base's Seguin Auxiliary Airfield.
The airfield's runway is being rebuilt as part of a $3.87 million project, while a bunkroom and women's restroom are upgrading the facility's fire station at a cost of nearly $166,000.
"The runway has its issues," Peggy Hill, 902nd Civil Engineer Squadron project manager, said. "The asphalt is very old; it was really showing its age. It would have needed maintenance anyway."
A crew from Milcon Construction LLC will strip the asphalt surface of the runway, rebuild the aggregate and resurface it with asphalt, she said. The runway will be crowned in the middle, with a slight slope on each side.
Other improvements in the project, which began this month, will include reconstruction of the taxiway and parking apron, removal of pavement from two abandoned runways and grading several areas contiguous to the runway, including a pond that attracts birds.
The fire station project is about 40 percent complete, with a final completion date set for Jan. 27, Joe Domeier, 902nd CES project manager, said.
"The project will provide a bunkroom for our firemen when they are needed for 24-hour operations such as FEMA support," he said, referring to the use of the airfield by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA is now using the airfield as a staging area for the transport of mobile housing units to wildfire victims in Bastrop County. "In addition, the inside of the existing fire station is being reconfigured to include a female restroom."
Domeier said the 1,600-square-foot bunkroom will include living quarters as well as male and female restrooms with showers.
"These amenities will be required for crisis response," he said. "Fire trucks are kept on-site for immediate response to the airfield as needed."
The 12th Flying Training Wing uses the airfield in its instructor pilot training mission. Located east of Seguin, the airfield was originally constructed with three runways in 1941.
Flying operations at the airfield have been suspended an estimated five months, until the runway project is finished.