Wisconsin airport moves onward and upward
Portage is approved for project funding
It took three years, but city-owned, public-use Portage Municipal Airport in Wisconsin received its long-awaited airport layout plan approval by the state’s Bureau of Aeronautics, making it finally eligible again for federal project funding.
"We are at the starting line now, which is great," said Phil Livingston, the city’s public works director, according to an article on Wisconsin’s online news source WiscNews. “This is obviously going to benefit the community and it’s definitely going to benefit the people using the airport day in and day out, because some of the projects we will complete in the short-term are ones that show a direct improvement right away and address safety concerns.”
The airport also needs a new FBO to replace the previous FBO owner, Paul Phelps—who also served as airport manager until his resignation following disagreements with the local airport commission. The commission has not met since February and very likely will not meet until a new commissioner is appointed after remaining commission members’ terms expire next spring.
Leif Gregerson, president of Portage’s Experimental Aircraft Association chapter, said, “Now that we hear and feel something is going to happen out there, and money is going to be taken and spent on the airport, it’s a really good thing. It means people who work at the city are less likely to say they don’t want an airport anymore.” But even though he feels hopeful about the funding, he says “it’s kind of secondary to the airport establishing and maintaining a strong and positive community.”
In 2023, the airport was slated to close in order to redevelop the property; however, after hearing the comments of pilots, residents, and public officials, Portage’s Common Council voted 5-4 in favor of delaying a resolution until January 2024. AOPA Airport Support Network Volunteer David Tesch was instrumental in rallying the support in just a week’s time between the notice of the planned closing and the council meeting. In addition, AOPA had asked members in Wisconsin and northern Illinois to contact the Portage Common Council and the mayor of Portage to speak up against the closure.
