US FAA announces $289 million in Airport Infrastructure Grants
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will be paying Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) worth $289 million to 129 airports across 40 states.
The seventh round of funding is being made to improve the safety and efficiency of air travel with projects funded under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s AIG programme.
The latest cash injection is part of the $25 billion in total funding for airport improvements such as terminal expansions, baggage system upgrades, runway safety enhancements and air traffic infrastructure improvements.
US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said: “Americans are flying in record numbers, and the Biden-Harris Administration continues to invest in our airports to make travel safer and more convenient for the people who pass through these airports each day.
“This latest round of funding will support key improvements to terminals, runways, and baggage systems and build on the work this administration is doing to modernize our aviation infrastructure.”
In June, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened a record-breaking 2.99 million passengers in a single day at airports. TSA expects to screen more than 32 million individuals this Independence Day holiday travel season, which is a 5.4% increase over last year’s travel volumes.
Some of the airports receiving new funding from the Biden-Harris Administration include:
$66.7 million to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona: This grant funds the site demolition and preparation for a new 2,100-foot taxiway to accommodate more flights.
$22.2 million to Philadelphia International Airport in Pennsylvania: This grant funds the rehabilitation of a taxiway and engineered safety enhancements to a runway.
$30.1 million to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia: This grant funding will reconstruct a runway.
$8.2 million to Hollywood Burbank Airport in California: This grant funds the third phase of construction for a new terminal building. This phase consists of construction of the foundation and waterproofing to meet design standards.
$8.8 million to Bradley International Airport in Connecticut: This grant funds the rehabilitation of Runway 6/24 to improve safety.
$2.2 million to Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport in Wyoming: This grant funds construction of a new taxi lane off Taxiway A to provide airfield access to a non-exclusive hangar development area to meet current FAA standards.
$17.2 million to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida: This grant funds the rehabilitation of existing Runway 14/32 shoulders to improve safety. Additionally, this grant funds reconstruction of the pavement for Taxiways F and H.
$26.6 million to Indianapolis International Airport in Indiana: This grant funds reconstruction of Runway 5/23 to improve safety.
$1.3 million to Knox County Regional Airport in Maine: This grant funds reconstruction of taxi lanes and the southwest general aviation apron.
In addition to today’s AIG announcement, the FAA has opened the application period for airports to submit projects for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Airport Terminal Program (ATP), also funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The FY 2025 ATP provides approximately $1 billion in funding for safe, sustainable and accessible airport terminals, airport-owned airport traffic control towers, and on-airport rail and bus projects that improve multimodal connections.
“We’re seeing where our investments are making a real difference for communities across the nation,” said FAA associate administrator for airports Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E.
“I encourage airports to take advantage of this opportunity to build modern facilities that are accessible, safe, resilient to climate change impacts and achieve environmental sustainability.”
Since 2022, the FAA has announced over 300 projects to receive ATP grants aimed at improving the passenger experience, modernising America’s airports, and improving competition in the airline industry by supporting equal access to infrastructure for airlines.
To date, over 190 terminal projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s ATP program are under construction, and six projects are already complete.
