WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $162.4 million in airport infrastructure grants to 72 airports in 31 states across the United States as part of the FAA's Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
“The Airport Improvement Program helps to maintain our aviation infrastructure and supports safety, capacity, security and environmental improvements,” said Secretary Chao. “This is an important investment in these airports and the economic vitality of their respective communities.”
The airport grant program funds various types of airport infrastructure projects, including runways, taxiways, and airport signage, lighting, and markings, all of which help to create thousands of jobs.
To date this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced more than 1,351 new grants to nearly 1,205 airports for a total of $2.1 billion. These grants will provide funds for 564 runway projects and 475 taxiway projects that are important to the safety and efficiency of the nation's system of airports.
Airports are entitled to a certain amount of AIP funding each year, based on passenger volume. If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, then the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding.
In a newsletter released to tED magazine, New Jersey-based Turtle & Hughes announced it is assisting in the design of the power distribution center at the Laguardia Airport in New York. The airport is looking to spend $4 billion on a new terminal by using the grants received earlier this year plus public-private partnerships to finance the work. During the 2016 campaign for president, President Trump compared the LaGuardia Airport to a third-world country.
President Trump is hoping to provide additional grant money for infrastructure before the end of the year. During the campaign, he promised $1 trillion in infrastructure renovation, including highways, airports, hospitals, and government buildings.
Those airports receiving discretionary grants are listed below, while the entitlement grant recipients can be found here.
- Pago Pago International Airport in the Amer. Samoa, $3 million – funds will be used to repair runway 05/23.
- Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport in San Jose, Calif., 3.2 million – funds will be used to purchase six zero emissions vehicles and to build the infrastructure for charging stations.
- Miami Executive Airport in Miami Fla., $3.1 million – the grant will be used to construct a new taxiway.
- Miami International Airport in Miami, Fla., $23.5 million – funds will be used to reconstruct Taxiway R.
- McCall Municipal Airport in McCall, Idaho, $ 1.1 million – funds will be used to construct an airport apron in the area where aircraft park.
- Owensboro-Daviess-County Airport in Owensboro, Ky., $.4.1 million – funds will be used to construct an aircraft rescue and firefighting building.
- Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, Md., $2.3 million – grant funds will be used to repair the airport taxiway.
- Greater Cumberland Regional Airport in Wiley Ford, W.Va., $5.4 million – funds will be used to repair Runway 05/23.
- Freemont Municipal Airport in Freemont, Mich., $1 million – grant funds will be used for the rehabilitation of Runway 18/36. As a participant in the State Block Grant Program, the state of Michigan administers AIP funds for general aviation airports, including Freemont Municipal Airport, in the state.
- Detroit Lakes-Wething Field in Detroit Lakes, Minn., $2 million – funds will be used to construct a runway safety area at the end of the runway.
- Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Raleigh, N.C., $1.6 million – grant funds will be used to purchase four zero emissions vehicles and to build the infrastructure for charging stations.
- Dickinson-Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport in Dickinson, N.D., $2 million – funds will be used to widen the taxiway.
- Hector International Airport in Fargo, N.D., $4.4 million – the project will fund the repair of a taxiway.
- Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, N.J., $1 million – the grant will fund the repair of Runway 05/23.
- Trenton Mercer Airport in Trenton, N.J., $3 million – grants funds will be used to repair the taxiway.
- Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, $7.3 million – funds will be used to purchase snow removal equipment.
- Cuyahoga County Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, $11.3 million – grant funds will be used to repair and extend Runway 06/24.
- Claremore Regional Airport in Claremore, Okla., $1.9 million – the project will fund the repair of Runway 17/35.
- Grants Pass Airport in Grants Pass, Ore., $1.1 million – funds will be used to construct a taxiway.
- Pittsburgh International Airport in Pittsburgh, Pa., $ 12.3 million – grant funds will be used to construct a deicing pad on the airport.
- Donaldson Field in Greenville, S.C., $ 5.1 million – funds will be used to repair a taxiway.
- Fort Worth Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, $1.5 million – grants funds will be used to extend Runway 16L/34R.
- Waukesha Airport in Waukesha, Wisc., $1.8 million – grant funds will be used for the expansion of the apron. As a participant in the State Block Grant Program, the state of Wisconsin administers AIP funds for general aviation airports, including Waukesha Airport, in the state.
The FAA will issue AIP grants to the airports over the next several weeks in time to take advantage of the summer construction season. The grants will ensure the projects at these airports are either under construction or completed prior to the onset of the winter season.
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