As part of its Airport Improvement Program (AIP), the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award US$527.8m in airport infrastructure grants to 584 gateways across the US, transportation secretary Elaine Chao announced recently.
The AIP “helps to maintain our aviation infrastructure and supports safety, capacity, security and environmental improvements”, secretary Chao summed up.
Airports are entitled to funding in line with their passenger volume. Some, however, have projects whose costs exceed that entitlement, and can receive additional discretionary funding to cover those projects. Among the airports receiving discretionary grants for high-priority projects is Chicago O’Hare International, which will receive $60m towards the construction of Runway 9C/27C. The runway is expected to be commissioned in 2020.
Also of note, Huntsville International-Carl T Jones Field is set to be awarded $5.5m for the construction of a new parallel taxiway that will reduce mid-field runway crossings by cargo aircraft, thereby improving safety.
