The FAA announced Thursday that nearly $615 million has been awarded for 238 airport projects across 42 states and two U.S. territories. The funding comes through the agency’s Airport Improvement Program and will support runway, taxiway, terminal, tower and other airfield projects.
Projects Reach Smaller Airports
Among the largest individual awards are $21.5 million for runway rehabilitation at Midland International Air & Space Port in Texas and $19.5 million to construct a replacement airport in Noatak, Alaska. Gary/Chicago International Airport will receive about $8.3 million to reconstruct its FAA contract tower, while Lynchburg Regional Airport in Virginia was awarded $8 million for a terminal project.
The grant list also includes projects at numerous smaller airports. Buckeye Municipal Airport in Arizona will receive about $793,000 for a new FAA contract tower and runway lighting, while Boulder City Municipal Airport in Nevada was awarded $4.6 million for a new contract tower. Apple Valley Airport in California will receive $5.9 million for runway rehabilitation, and Ohio State University Airport was awarded roughly $4 million for airfield lighting and signage work.
Airport Improvement Program
“We’re improving safety and efficiency at airports throughout the U.S.,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in the agency’s announcement. “We’re prioritizing these grants in a time when Americans are traveling more than ever, ensuring we fulfill our promise to transform the passenger travel experience.”
The Airport Improvement Program provides federal funding for eligible projects at public-use airports included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Eligible work can include runways, taxiways, lighting, signage, markings and other safety-related infrastructure.
Airports receive annual entitlement funding based on factors including passenger volume, while the FAA can also provide discretionary funding when eligible project costs exceed an airport’s available entitlement.
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