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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Decisions made by the Kirksville City Council Monday night cleared the way for improvements at Kirksville Regional Airport.

A total of four projects are planned for this year: two this spring; the other two in the fall.

The first two improvements will be additional lighting where the entrance road meets Highway 63 and also in the parking lots.

The second improvement will be a new asphalt overlay on the airport entrance road.

"The airport entrance road is in very bad shape right now. It has a lot of potholes in it, so people want a smoother ride coming into the airport,” said Ed Ieans, Kirksville city engineer. “Plus, now, we want to expand the parking lot because people are parking out in grass when we have a large amount of passengers on Cape Air."

The airport's 50 additional parking spots will be added this fall.

State funds will pay for 90 percent of the first two projects.

The total price tag for the new lighting and airport entrance road improvements is $296,312.

Of that, the City will have to furnish $29,632.

Federal funds will provide 95 percent of the funding for the two fall projects.

On Monday night, the Kirksville City Council also approved an ordinance authorizing the mayor and city manager to execute and agreement between the City and the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for transportation enhancement funds to renovate Franklin Street from Normal Avenue south to Patterson Street.

The City was recently notified it has been awared a grant in the amount of $415,000 for the work on Franklin Street.