The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded $20 million to 20 airport-owned air traffic control towers in 15 states recently.
For the fourth year, the agency provided grants through the FAA’s Airport Infrastructure Grants FAA Contract Tower Competitive Grant program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to upgrade existing or build new control towers. The funding will go to smaller and regional airports to improve safety and support aviation operations like commercial passenger flights, cargo flights, emergency services, agricultural aviation and flight training.
“Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden-Harris Administration is supporting every part of our aviation system—including airports in small communities that drive local economies and help people get where they need to go,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “With today’s announcement, 20 more airports will have the resources they need to upgrade operations and make travel safer and more efficient.”
Among the awards were $200,000 to Castle Airport in California to replace air traffic control equipment, $1.3 million to the Grand junction Regional Airport in Colorado to replace infrastructure as part of the airport’s Tower Modernization Program, and $950,000 for the Waterbury-Oxford Airport in Connecticut to replace the existing tower’s roof, HVAC system, windows, and shades, as well as to upgrade the radio communication system.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the FAA’s ongoing commitment to airports of all sizes. These upgrades will help ensure traveler safety for decades by providing our controllers better work environments that are also more accessible, secure, and sustainable,” said Shannetta R. Griffin, FAA Associate Administrator for Airports.