NATCHEZ — A recent grant given to the Natchez-Adams County Airport will help kick off one of three restorative projects aimed at repairing the facility’s runway.

Airport Manager Clint Pomeroy said he got word of the grant, valued at more than $68,000, Friday.

“It’s certainly good news,” he said. “And it’s going to good use.”

Pomeroy said the first round of funding will be used to patch a series of small cracks on the airport’s primary runway.

While the cracks are not currently posing any potential threats to safety, they have the potential to, Pomeroy said.

Pomeroy said heavy use and weather have the potential to turn small cracks into large cracks, and large cracks in the runway can raise safety concerns.

And work to patch those cracks is just the first in a series of three improvement projects on the runway.

Once the cracks are repaired — likely within the next six months — phases two and three can begin.

Phase two calls for the runway to be sprayed with a sealant that will soak into the asphalt, sealing the newly patched cracks and asphalt.

Pomeroy said phase two is critical because over time the petroleum base in the asphalt can evaporate and allow the surface to crumble.

Once that crumbling occurs, loose debris can get blown into propellers or sucked into jet intakes.

“It can become a safety issue,” Pomeroy said.

After phase two’s completion, phase three, repainting the runway markings, will be done.

“Ideally we’d get funding for the project all at once,” Pomeroy said.

The entire project is projected to take up to one-and-a-half years and could cost as much as $400,000.

“But it depends on how and when funding is available,” he said.

And Mississippi’s senators said they recognize the importance of the funding and the good it will do for the airport and the community.

“Updating our transportation infrastructure is an essential part of ensuring Mississippi remains economically competitive in the future,” Sen. Roger Wicker said. “These federal funds will improve airport safety and efficiency, ensuring our local airports continuing having a positive impact on economic growth in our state.”