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FAA to award $616.9 million in infrastructure grants to airports

Case Studies | August 29, 2018 | By:

U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced on Aug. 24 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $616.9 million in airport infrastructure grants, as part of the total $3.18 billion in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding for airports across the United States.

Photograph by Malcolm MacLeod

“The department has been investing heavily in our nation’s airport infrastructure, which will strengthen economic growth and create jobs in communities across the country,” said Secretary Chao.

This fourth increment of funding provides 242 grants to 226 airports, and will fund 408 infrastructure projects. These include runways, taxiways, aprons, terminals, aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles, snow removal equipment, and two firefighting training facilities.

U.S. infrastructure, especially its 3,323 airports and 5,000 paved runways, increases the country’s competitiveness and improves the traveling public’s quality of life. According to the FAA’s most recent economic analysis, U.S. civil aviation accounts for $1.6 trillion in total economic activity and supports nearly 11 million jobs.

Airports receive a certain amount of AIP entitlement funding each year based on activity levels and project needs. If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding.

Among the grant awards announced are:

  • Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field Airport in Aspen, Colo.: $5.7 million to fund fund the design to relocate the existing Runway 15/33 for flight safety
  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Ga.: $17 million in grants for the final phase of a new 4,200-foot taxiway around the approach end of Runway 9L
  • Guam International Airport in Tamuning, Guam: $16 million to fund construction of the final phase of a 30,000-square-foot aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) building to help the airport meet safety requirements
  • Sioux Gateway/Col. Bud Day Field Airport in Sioux City, Iowa: $13 million to reconstruct a portion of Runway 17/35 that has reached the end of its useful life
  • Lafayette Regional/Paul Fournet Field Airport in Lafayette, La.: $10 million grant for the fourth phase of the project to construct a new terminal building for the airport
  • Alpena County Regional Airport in Alpena, Mich.: $9 million to construct the final phase of a new terminal building for the airport
  • Olive Branch Airport in Olive Branch, Miss.: $15 million  to acquire and control a 460-acre, privately owned airport
  • Helena Regional Airport in Helena, Mont.: $4.6 million for the final phase of an expansion project for the terminal building
  • Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C.: $11 million to repair 10,000 feet of Runway 5R/23L
  • Akron-Canton Regional Airport in Akron, Ohio: $6 million to repair the terminal building for more efficient movement of passengers and baggage, and to replace replace snow removal equipment
  • Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport in Brownsville, Texas: $2.3 million to construct a new terminal building
  • Appleton International Airport in Appleton, Wis.: $12 million to fund the construction of a regional aircraft rescue and firefighting training facility

complete listing of grants (PDF) is available on the FAA website.

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