US airports to receive $485 million in DOT infrastructure grants
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $485 million in Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants to 108 airports in 48 states, along with Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Airports are awarded the DOT grants, based on passenger volume, to pay for infrastructure projects including runways, taxiways, airport signage, airport lighting, and airport markings.
Among those receiving grants are:
- San Jose International Airport: $10 million to renovate an aircraft rescue and firefighting building.
- Tampa International Airport: $6 million to improve its terminal building as part of its ongoing $2 billion construction program.
- Indianapolis International Airport: $4.25 million to rehabilitate one of its two runways.
- New Orleans International Airport: $7 million to extend a taxiway.
- Gerald R. Ford International, Grand Rapids, Mich.: $5 million to rehabilitate its terminal building.
- Asheville Regional Airport, Asheville, N.C.: $10 million to rehabilitate its terminal building.
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport: $4.25 million to rehabilitate one of its three runways.
- Wilmington International Airport in Delaware: $3 million for runway rehabilitation.
- Portland International Airport in Oregon: $4 million to rehabilitate a taxiway.
The current AIP program is funded at $3.8 billion in the current fiscal year.
However, while passenger and cargo traffic through airport facilities continues to grow at a record pace, the country's outdated aviation infrastructure isn't keeping up with demand, according to Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA). In its 2019 airport infrastructure report, ACI-NA notes that far too many airports around the country are overcrowded and cramped, needing nearly $130 billion in infrastructure upgrades by 2023.
Here are some key numbers for airport infrastructure needs, by selected state:
- California — $27.3 billion
- Florida — $10 billion
- Illinois — $5.2 billion
- Michigan — $1.4 billion
- Missouri — $1.5 billion
- New York — $10.3 billion
- Pennsylvania — $2.9 billion
- Texas — 11.2 billion
- Washington — $3.2 billion
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