Habersham County completes airport runway lighting project, final payment still pending

In early 2025 the Habersham County Airport Commission said a runway and taxiway lighting project was in design, with the Georgia Department of Transportation planning to fund the runway and taxiway lighting work together.

The project went out to bid in April 2025 and closed May 6. The Airport Commission voted 5-0 on May 13 to recommend awarding the bid to R.G. Tenney, the low bidder at $1,176,600, which the commission said was under its budgeted amount. The Habersham County Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 on May 19 to award the bid and authorize the county manager to sign related documents; a GDOT contract before the board capped state reimbursement at $882,450 or 75% of the $1,176,600 construction cost, whichever is less.

By September 2025 the construction contract with RG Tenney Electrical had been executed, with a 30-day contract time that included a 15-day runway closure. In October the Airport Commission said the contractor was still waiting on materials and would not start until all materials were on site; by November the commission said phase one was slated to begin January 5, 2026.

The runway closed from February 16 to March 6, 2026 for installation of new LED runway, threshold and taxiway lights, a new beacon and updated signage, with work having begun February 2. A final walkthrough in May 2026 turned up minor punch-list items, and by July the commission said the contractor had officially completed the punch list and removed leftover materials. As of the August 2026 meeting, about $117,000 remained unpaid pending the project's closeout.