Elk no longer spotted on runway

EDITOR

Upgrades continue at the Pikeville/Pike County Regional Airport with the final payments secured for a fence surrounding the property.

State and federal officials yesterday confirmed a disbursement of $485,290 for the airport. The money was already spent on a 5-mile long fence that surrounds the entire perimeter of the property, with a total price tag of about $600,000.

The fence has solved the problem of wildlife wandering onto the runway, said Michael de Bourbon, chairman of the airport board. Before it was finished, elk and deer were regular visitors to the property.

“We haven't had any problems (with wildlife) so far, since the installation,” de Bourbon said.

He added that the fence was a huge improvement over the airport's former runway security - a stray dog named “Whiskers” who would patrol the property, scaring much larger animals away. The elk can still be seen often outside the fence.

The fence winds up and down the hillsides surrounding the property, at times on sections that had to be clear-cut to make way for it. Regular gates in the fence allow for maintenance and equipment, as well as emergency vehicles to come through.

The fence is the just the latest upgrade to the ever-improving airport. After moving to a new terminal in the early ‘90s, officials were able to install a high-tech, $500,000 instrument landing system a few years ago. Now, they are also working on upgrading the terminal, including new signs, new plaques honoring Senator Kelsey E. Friend, who the terminal is named for, and a conference room renovation completed in December. More parking spaces were also added last year.