Aviation View April 2023

85 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1 where the Snake River meets the Clearwater, about 30 miles southeast of the Lower Granite Dam in the state’s north-central region. Known as the Gateway to Hells Canyon, outdoor recreational opportunities are literally, around every bend. The Lewis-Clark Valley is Washington and Idaho’s historical American Viticultural Area, producing award-winning, nationally recognized premium wines. With dams and locks on the rivers, Lewiston is reachable by some ocean- going vessels, making it Idaho’s only seaport and the farthest inland port on the nation’s west coast. This also means Cruise Ship traffic. For this area of the US, tourism is a huge draw, dating back to 1944 with Cessna Bush planes, through the advent of the jet-powered aircraft of the 1960s, people have been coming and going for as long as anyone can remember. Despite the historic interest in the area, there does seem to be a recent uptick in travel to the area. These last few years have seen a period of unprecedented growth for the airport, which has completed $22 million worth of infrastructure projects in the last four years. “We are currently doing a terminal study because our terminal was built in 1960 and it was remodeled in 1995,” Isaacs adds. “We’re taking advantage of bipartisan infrastructure funds to do a terminal study in 2020. The first thing we must determine is if the existing building is sufficient for a remodel or if it makes sense to do new construction.” Another project Isaacs points to which will improve conditions on the airfield is a new runway lighting project. The lights will be raised higher off the ground, right now they sit 12 inches above the tarmac which are prone to being obscured by snow. New signs, markings and asphalt fog seal will round out that project. Coupled with new snow removal equipment on the way, this will offer better lighting, and safer and more efficient operations. “ That’s another $4M of infrastructure coming to LWS,” Isaacs points out. LEWISTON NEZ PERCE COUNT Y REGIONAL AI RPORT With Covid changing the business work landscape, and remote employment economy, airports have been working lately to improve service. Lewiston Nez Perce County Regional Airport has acknowledged this by expanding its boarding areas and adding a business center within that space so people can have a private area to continue working. “We have also recently requested proposals for an expansion project out front of the terminal,” says Isaacs. “There is an old ballpark, Hathaway Park, which has been closed for years and we are looking to put a hotel, restaurant, and drive through coffee shop on the property. “That itself was forward-thinking because tourism in Nez Perce County doubled the year after. We had 17,000 passengers for tourism alone, many of whom are passengers with the cruise ships, and we are anticipating 20,000