“Infrastructure projects funded by these grants will advance safety, improve travel, generate jobs and provide other economic benefits for local communities,” Chao said.
Projects include runway reconstruction and rehabilitation, construction of firefighting facilities, noise mitigation, emissions reduction 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 our 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 Chao’s leadership, the department is delivering AIP investments for the American 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 in the Construction News area include:
- Texarkana Regional-Webb Field Airport in Arkansas received a grant for $6.9 million. The grant will fund the construction of a taxiway.
- Thompson-Robbins Airport in Arkansas received a grant for $4.5 million. The grant will fund the reconstruction of a runway.
- Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in Arkansas received a grant for $3.1 million. The grant will fund the rehabilitation of a taxiway and improvements to a terminal building.
- Bill and Hillary Clinton National/Adams Field Airport in Arkansas received two grants for $2.4 million and $4 million. The grants will fund the expansion of aprons.
- Baton Rouge Metropolitan/Ryan Field Airport in Louisiana received a grant for $7.2 million. The grant will fund the improvements to a runway safety area.
- Lafayette Regional/Paul Fournet Field Airport in Louisiana received two grants for $6.4 million and $5.5 million. The grants will fund the reconstruction of an apron and the construction of a terminal building.
- Monroe Regional Airport in Louisiana received a grant for $8.3 million. The grant will fund the extension of a runway.
- Lakefront Airport in Louisiana received a grant for $6.6 million. The grant will fund the rehabilitation of a runway.
- Hawkins Field Airport in Mississippi received a grant for $4.8 million. The grant will fund the rehabilitation of a runway and runway lighting.
- Key Field Airport in Mississippi received a grant for $4.5 million. The grant will fund the acquirement of equipment, conducting of a miscellaneous study, improvements to airport drainage, installation of perimeter fencing, reconstruction of a taxiway, rehabilitation of an access road and the rehabilitation of a runway, two taxiways and taxiway lighting.
- South Grand Lake Regional Airport in Oklahoma received a grant for $4.1 million. The grant will fund the rehabilitation and widening of a runway.
- University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport in Oklahoma received a grant for $5.1 million. The grant will fund the rehabilitation of a taxiway.
- Stillwater Regional Airport in Oklahoma received a grant for $5.2 million. The grant will fund the reconstruction of an apron.
- Memphis International Airport in Tennessee received three grants for $5.1 million, $11.3 million and $14.6 million. The grants will fund the construction of a de-icing pad with associated facilities, the construction of a taxiway, the reconstruction of another taxiway, improvements to a terminal building, updates to an airport master plan study and conducting of a miscellaneous study.
