MERIDIAN, Miss. — A Mississippi airport is getting $6.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to repave its main runway and rebuild a taxiway.

The National Guard is also contributing to the $6 million needed for the runway work, Meridian Airport Authority president Tom Williams told WTOK-TV.

“All of that work, because we have to keep the runway open during the daytime for business, has to be done at night,” he said. “So construction will be generally from 10 at night to 6 in the morning.”

Williams says the runway is functional but the project will add 20 years to its lifespan.

“At 10,003 feet, it’s the longest public-use runway in Mississippi, so keeping it in good condition and functional for East Mississippi is important.”

The taxiway project is expected to cost around $1.2 million.

“They’ll remove the taxiway down to the dirt, rebuild it from there up, and basically build a new taxiway where the old one was,” Williams said.

The airport will open up bids for the project around the end of April.

“We expect work to begin mid-July, and hopefully be complete before the end of fall,” Williams said.