On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it had awarded $427 million in funding for airport modernizations and improvement projects.
The grants will fund 245 projects in 39 states, officials said. Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program, the grants will support improvements like terminal expansions and baggage system upgrades, runway safety enhancements, and air traffic infrastructure improvements.
“Americans are flying in record numbers this summer, and the Biden-Harris Administration is continuing to invest in our nation’s airports to make travel more convenient for passengers,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “The funding we’re announcing, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help airports across the country make needed improvements to ensure safety and efficiency now and for years to come.”
The airports receiving grants include the John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio, which received $29.4 million to construct a new terminal tarmac and taxiway; the El Paso International Airport in Texas, which received $10.6 million to construct a new general aviation apron and rehabilitate the existing GA apron pavement, and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Kentucky, which received $13.6 million to replace passenger boarding bridges.
“Today’s investment is the second largest in AIG history,” FAA Associate Administrator for Airports, Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E., said. “We’re supporting safety with lighting and runway signage upgrades and improving the traveler experience with new terminals.”
To date, nearly $9 billion of the total $15 billion allocated to AIG funding has been awarded to airports across the country, officials said.