The FAA awarded another tranche of grants totaling nearly $1.2 billion to 405 airports spread out across all 50 states, along with Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Palau, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than $1 billion of the grants come from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), along with $152 million of the residual funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
“This $1.2 billion federal investment will improve our nation’s airport infrastructure, enhance safety, and strengthen growth in local communities, which is especially important as the economy recovers from Covid-19,” said Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
The funds are directed for infrastructure and safety projects such as aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment, runway and taxiway construction and repair, aircraft lighting and signage, airport master plan studies, and airport perimeter fencing.
Awards ranged by project and to some extent, the size of airport. Los Angeles International and San Diego International, for instance, were granted $17.5 million and $18 million, respectively, for noise mitigation measures. Meanwhile, New York airports Le Roy received about $68,000 for taxiway pavement sealing and Ithaca was granted some $150,000 for navaids.