WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced that the Department will award $157 million in airport infrastructure grants to 34 airports in 19 states, plus the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is the sixth allotment of the total $3.18 billion in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding for airports across the United States. 

“Infrastructure projects funded by these grants will advance safety, improve travel, generate jobs and provide other economic benefits for local communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Some of the grant awards include:

• Crooked Creek Airport–$15,872,041 to build an access road, rebuild a runway and runway lighting, build an apron, build a snow removal equipment building and a service road to that building, build a taxiway and install miscellaneous navigational aids.
• Juneau International Airport–$6,427,120 to purchase an emergency generator, repair a taxiway and build a taxiway.
• Barrow Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport–$1,827,061 to build a snow-removal equipment building, build an aircraft rescue & firefighting building and build a sand and chemical storage building.
• The grants also include a total of $2,522,716 for runway repairs at 23 Alaska airports

Selected projects include runway reconstruction and rehabilitation, construction of firefighting facilities, noise mitigation, emissions reduction, and the maintenance of taxiways, aprons, and terminals. The construction and equipment supported by this funding increase the airports’ safety, emergency response capabilities, and capacity, and could support further economic growth and development within each airport’s region.

Airport infrastructure in the United States, with 3,332 airports and 5,000 paved runways, supports our economic competitiveness and improves quality of life.  According to the FAA’s most recent economic analysis, U.S. civil aviation accounts for $1.6 trillion in total economic activity and supports nearly 11 million jobs. Under Secretary Chao’s leadership, the Department is delivering AIP investments for the American people, who depend on reliable infrastructure. 

Airports can receive a certain amount of AIP entitlement funding each year based on activity levels and project needs.  If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding.

See a complete listing of grants on our website.