On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $66.2 million to airports in 23 states and Puerto Rico for infrastructure improvements.
The awards, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program will fund modernization efforts, increased safety efforts, expansion of capacity plans, equipment replacements and more.
“With Americans once again traveling in record numbers, we must ensure that our airports are ready to meet the demand,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Thanks to President Biden, we are delivering historic funding to modernize airports across the country, creating jobs, growing local economies, and supporting passengers for years to come.”
The DOT said many of the grants involve improvements to drainage, replacing equipment, and building new terminals, towers, roads, taxi lanes and runway signage. An estimated $3.2 million will be used to rehabilitate airport terminals, including $133,770 for the Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister Field in Washington; $1,707,035 for the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in Amarillo, Texas; and $1,278,900 for Great Falls International Airport in Montana.
“We are replacing and upgrading key infrastructure and equipment as quickly as possible to improve facilities for air passengers. These investments keep us on track for seamless improvements that fliers will notice in the future,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E.
Another $1 million will be used to purchase snow removal equipment, the department said, while $1.8 million will go to rehabilitate towers and $890,535 will be used to improve airfield drainage.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $15 billion over five years for the AIG program. To date, the program has provided $9 billion in AIG funding for airports across the country.