On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it had awarded $970 million in airport improvement grants to airports across the country.
The grants were awarded to 114 airports in 44 states and three territories and will help airports meet the growing demand for air travel, officials said. The grants are part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will fund projects to improve passenger experience, accessibility and sustainability while creating good-paying jobs. FAA officials said the funding will be investing into new baggage systems, larger security checkpoints, increased gat capacity and modernized infrastructure throughout terminals and ground transportation. Nine of the grants will address air traffic control tower needs.
“Under this administration, we are doing more to improve the travel experience than ever before, from expanding consumer protections to modernizing the physical infrastructure,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “These investments we’re announcing today, made possible by President Biden’s historic infrastructure package, will make it easier for passengers to get to and through airports, create jobs, and increase safety for all.”
The grants include $35 million awarded to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia to construct a 14-gate, 400,000-square-foot terminal; $26.6 million for the Denver International Airport in Colorado to fund a portion of the baggage handling system replacement project; and $7 million for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for construction of the foundation for the North/South Connector Road’s north phase.
“Today’s funding not only helps modernize airports to meet the needs of travelers today and for years to come but also creates good-paying job opportunities in communities both large and small,” FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E. said.