By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority has budgeted $47,000 to attract additional carriers and market the expanded facility, to be operation in November 2016.

The massive $26 million project includes rerouting State Highway 68 to allow for a 1,200 foot runway extension and a 3,600 square foot addition to the terminal.

More Options

In 2014, the OBPA reached an agreement with Allegiant Air to provide low-cost carrier services at the airport beginning in November 2016. Flights would most likely go to Florida, but Ogdensburg Executive Director Wade Davis says that’s only one part of the plan.

Davis says hopes the OBPA can attract additional carriers for freight and passengers, because more traffic at the airport mean more money coming into the local economy.

“It’s an exciting opportunity. It’s going to be game changer. I am really not sure what it’s going to look like in the future but it’s going to open a wealth of opportunities for our region,” he said.

Davis said the ability to fly large planes in and out of Ogdensburg could potentially allow customers to fly out of the local airport and catch connecting flights at major hubs. Davis says the Allegiant agreement offers that option to a lesser degree.

“One of things is what we hear people discussing is how it convenient that can be. Right now people have a two and a half hour drive to Syracuse to fly out of here,” he said. “Potentially people could be boarding a plan in Ogdensburg and be off to a major airport and be in the center of air transportation.”

Expanding the market

Davis said that while the airport will provide convenience for area residents, it may also be an attraction for Canadians. He said over 5 million Canadians come across the U.S. border to fly during the average year.

“We have 1.2 million Canadians sitting right up the road. We have a 35-second average wait time at our crossing. I think we have a lot of potential,” he said.

Davis says he is unsure what exactly the airport will attract, but is excited about the possibilities.

He says the OBPA will be doing a lot of outreach as the project draws closer to completion, which is less than a year away.

Moving quickly

Work is moving quickly at the airport and Davis said the project is already pumping money back into the local economy.

“The base for the new Route 68 is already in,” he said. “I think the weather has allowed them to make significant progress and stay ahead of schedule.”

Davis says in just one week more than 700 truck loads of stone were purchased locally and transported to the site.

Marcie Excavation, Albany, won the bid on the contract, but its employees have been staying in the area’s hotels and shopping at local restaurants, bars and stores.

“Somebody here is also selling them their fuel. The impact on local vendors is huge,” he said.

Davis says that he is confident the airport will be ready to go by next November and that’s impressive as he says a typical undertaking of this magnitude usually takes about 10 years.

“We are doing it in less than two. And there are a lot of people who worked hard to make this happen. It’s a real team effort,” he said.