The FAA recently selected five additional airport projects for funding, paid for with $9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds that became available because of low bids on airport projects nationwide.
“Earlier ARRA projects came in under budget and these savings can now be applied to other projects,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Transportation and infrastructure are the foundation of our economy. These airport projects are putting people to work in good-paying jobs across the country.”
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt made the announcement at an event celebrating the completion of a $4.9 million Recovery Act terminal project at Yeager Airport in Charleston, W.V. Yeager Airport will also receive an additional $2.58 million of the newly available ARRA funds to make additional improvements.
Four other airports will also receive additional Recovery Act grants for construction and rehabilitation projects:
- Killeen Skylark Field (Killeen, Texas): This $2.37 million ARRA grant is the first the airport has received. The project will rehabilitate runway 1-19 and the parallel taxiway. The pavement has deteriorated and this project is necessary to extend the useful life of the pavement.
- Burlington International Airport (Burlington, Vt.): An additional ARRA grant of $452,100 will rehabilitate and realign a critical taxiway to reduce the risk of runway incursions at the airport. An original ARRA grant supported the rehabilitation of two additional taxiways.
- Avi Suquilla Airport (Parker, Ariz.): An original ARRA grant supported the rehabilitation of over 70,000 square yards of pavement on two taxiways. This additional ARRA grant of $310,000 will fund a second phase of taxiway rehabilitation.
- MBS International Airport (Midland-Bay City-Saginaw, Mich.): An additional ARRA grant of up to $3.39 million will expedite the completion of this airport terminal reconstruction project. The grant will be used to construct the roof, window systems and the concrete floor. An initial ARRA grant of $11.6 million funded the construction of passenger loading bridges, an access road and the relocation of navigational aids.
Nationwide, over $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.
For more information: FAA.gov
