The Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT) Aeronautics Bureau recently met with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airports District Office in Jackson to begin coordinating fiscal year 2027 airport projects and funding priorities.
During the last two legislative sessions, the Alabama Legislature appropriated an additional $15 million annually to the state’s aviation system. Funding will enhance ALDOT’s ability to expand the statewide airport pavement maintenance program, address critical infrastructure needs and provide matching funds for federal grants.
For fiscal year 2027, grants will be issued earlier to allow projects to move forward more efficiently.
The combination of increased state funding and earlier grant awards means ALDOT is in a stronger position to support both federally funded projects and initiatives that fall outside traditional federal grant eligibility. The Aeronautics Bureau will be able to assist local airports with important development and infrastructure improvements that might otherwise may have gone unfunded.
Later this month, ALDOT will send airports a “call for projects” letter. Project pre-applications and updated five-year Airport Capital Improvement Plans will be due by late September as part of the annual planning process.
Recently completed airport improvements have focused on apron expansions, lighting upgrades, runway rehabilitation, and other infrastructure enhancements that improve safety, operational reliability and economic opportunity for local communities.