USDOT announces grants to improve airport infrastructure

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao has announced that the department will award $478 million in airport infrastructure grants to 232 airports in 43 states, including American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.

This is the fourth allotment of the total $3.18 billion in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding for airports across the United States.

Chao said: “Infrastructure projects funded by these grants will advance safety, improve travel, generate jobs and provide other economic benefits for local communities,”

Selected projects include runway reconstruction and rehabilitation, construction of fire-fighting facilities, and the maintenance of taxiways, aprons and terminals. The construction and equipment supported by this funding increase the airports’ safety, emergency response capabilities and capacity, and could support further economic growth and development within each airport’s region.

Airport infrastructure in the United States, with 3,332 airports and 5,000 paved runways, supports economic competitiveness and improves 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. Under Secretary Chao’s leadership, the Department is delivering AIP investments for the people who depend on reliable infrastructure.

Airports can 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.

Some of the grant awards include:

• Casper/Natrona County International Airports in New Mexico, $7.3 million – the grant funds will be used to repair the airport apron where the aircraft park
• Gerald Ford International Airport in Michigan, $11.1 million – funds will help repair the airport apron where the aircraft park
• Juneau International Airport in Alaska, $18.9 million – the grant will fund the repair of Taxiways A and E, construction of a new Taxiway D1 to provide access to hangars, and the purchase of an emergency generator for the airport during inclement weather
• Los Angeles International Airport in California, $2.4 million – will receive funds to install sound insulation noise mitigation measures for residences near the airport
• Phoenix Deer Valley Airport in Arizona – the airport operator will use funds to construct Taxiway D to provide access to aircraft hangars.