The groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday for a general aviation airport in Sparta, Ky., that will serve the Interstate 71 corridor from Louisville to Cincinnati.
“The Kentucky Department of Aviation has been committed to building a successful airport from the very beginning,” Todd Bloch, Kentucky Department of Aviation Commissioner, said at the event. “Once complete, this state of the art facility will provide a safe and reliable connection for recreational pilots, business aircraft, and emergency service teams.”
Construction will be in three phases. Phase one will start sometime between November and spring of 2020 and will include clearing and grading the land. It will take less than a year to complete.
Phase two includes the installation of lighting and striping and runway construction. It will take up to two years. Phase three will include the construction of a terminal, T-hangars for small business and private aircraft, box hangars for corporate and large aircraft, and on-site fuel systems.
Features also will include an access road and connector to I-71 exit 55.
The airport will open for use after the completion of phase two. It is forecasted to see approximately 13,000 take-offs annually, and an estimated 30-50 aircraft will be based at the airport.