Airport Flies Along

Progress on the new Town Airport is ahead of schedule. The first phase, a new parking lot and entrance from Daniel's Hole Road, was completed this fall on time and $77,000 under budget, said Pat Ryan, the airport manager. It cost just under $700,000.

Mild weather through last week allowed workers to finish building the foundation and concrete supports for the estimated $1.2 million terminal building, which Mr. Ryan predicted would also be done on time, in May.

The first-phase savings will help offset the $1.8 million cost of the final phase, a new apron where passengers disembark and planes await their next flight. Money to start building the apron was recently made available by the Federal Aviation Administration, which is funding about 90 percent of the airport project, and the construction could start as early as March, about six months sooner than anticipated.

The completed project is expected to cost roughly $4.5 million.