FAA Breaks Ground on Air Traffic Control Tower in Frederick, Md. Paid For with Recovery Act Dollars

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced over $5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars will be used to build a new air traffic control tower at Frederick Municipal Airport in Frederick, Md.

“General aviation plays such an important role at all levels of our nation’s economy,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Recovery Act projects are helping upgrade our aviation infrastructure so the system can continue to run safely and efficiently.”

“These Recovery Act dollars will improve the safety and efficiency of Frederick’s airport while providing a boost to Maryland’s economy,” said Michael Huerta, deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, at a ground breaking ceremony.

The $5.3 million Recovery Act project will pay for the construction of an air traffic control tower, access road and other infrastructure at one of Maryland’s largest airports. The Frederick Municipal Airport currently does not have an air traffic control tower.

Approximately 200 aircraft are based at Frederick Municipal Airport, a reliever airport for Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The airport handles more than 135,000 aircraft operations annually.

The Recovery Act has provided an additional $35 million in upgrades at airport runways and aircraft parking aprons in and around the Washington Metropolitan Area.

Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. Because of low construction bids for projects, more Recovery Act dollars were available for additional facilities and equipment and airport projects. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.