WASHINGTON- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is allocating $970 million as part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Investing in America initiative, benefiting 114 airports across 44 states and three territories.
This announcement, a key component of the Administration’s Investing in America tour, aligns with President Biden’s commitment to revitalize the nation’s infrastructure, reduce costs for families, generate quality jobs, and promote opportunities for all Americans.
FAA Grant to 114 Airports
The funding unveiled today addresses the escalating demand for air travel and initiates projects aimed at enhancing the passenger experience, accessibility, and sustainability while concurrently fostering the creation of well-paying jobs.
The investments to improve passenger experience encompass new baggage systems, expanded security checkpoints, increased gate capacity, and the modernization of aging infrastructure within terminals and ground transportation.
These initiatives also contribute to terminal sustainability and enhance accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, nine grants will target the requirements of aging air traffic control towers.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasized,
“Under this administration, we are doing more to improve the travel experience than ever before, from expanding consumer protections to modernizing the physical infrastructure. These investments we’re announcing today, made possible by President Biden’s historic infrastructure package, will make it easier for passengers to get to and through airports, create jobs, and increase safety for all.”
“Today’s funding not only aids in the modernization of airports to cater to the current and future needs of travelers but also generates employment opportunities with competitive wages in communities, both large and small,” stated Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E., FAA Associate Administrator for Airports.
These allocations supplement the nearly $2 billion designated for airport terminals announced in the past two years, with the majority of these terminal projects already in progress.
New Terminal and Expansion Grant
Numerous grants include components for constructing new or expanded terminal facilities. Some of them are:
- $35 million to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia: This funding contributes to the construction of a 14-gate, 400,000 sq. ft. terminal building, including connections to the Aerotrain and Metrorail.
- $20 million to Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah: This award supports a segment of the Concourse B terminal expansion, incorporating 16 gates.
- $10 million to Hector International Airport in Fargo, North Dakota: This grant aids in the rehabilitation and expansion of the existing terminal, involving upgrades to lighting, reconfiguration, and expansion of hold rooms, enhancement of Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliance, and the addition of four new gates for a total of nine. The expansion includes increased hold room space, expanded ticketing/baggage handling, expanded restrooms, and post-security concessions.
Enhancing Passenger Experience Grant
Numerous grants include components aimed at enhancing the passenger experience by improving security screening areas, providing faster and more reliable baggage systems, and increasing accessibility for passengers with disabilities. Some examples include:
- $40 million to Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Illinois: This funding supports improvements to Terminal 3, including increasing the central passenger corridor width, a reconfigured TSA checkpoint, a new hold room, a new ADA-compliant and family restroom, and updates to the baggage system.
- $26.6 million to Denver International Airport in Colorado: This award contributes to a portion of the baggage handling system replacement, encompassing the control system. The new system aims to improve energy efficiency and increase capacity.
- $8.6 million to Kahului Airport in Hawai‘i: This project finances the construction of a new two-story security screening checkpoint facility at the south end of the ticket lobby (South TSA Checkpoint). The facility includes six new TSA screening lanes, and a pedestrian bridge will connect it to hold room A, spanning over the existing service road.
- $7.5 million to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky: This award supports a portion of the Terminal A security screening expansion project, adding four screening lanes to the security checkpoint.
- $2 million to Spokane International Airport in Washington: This funding covers up to two additional ticket counters and passenger boarding bridges, along with portions of HVAC, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing upgrades, shared use & hearing-impaired technology, smart glass, solar energy connection, baggage handling systems, and other significant ADA improvements.
- $1.5 million to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska: This award is designated for the installation of 110 audio and visual monitors and stations throughout the terminal to enhance passenger services.
Improving Transportation to Airport Grant
Several grants are directed towards enhancing access to other modes of transportation or improving roadways, including:
- $31 million to Los Angeles International Airport in California: This funding supports two areas of the Auxiliary Curbs at ITF West and ITF East, involving a combination of new, extending, widening, and utility improvements to surrounding roadways. This also encompasses the implementation of underground Low Impact Development (LID) stormwater containment systems.
- $8 million to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida: This award contributes to a portion of the reconfiguration and expansion of the terminal access and curbside roadways.
- $7 million to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana: This funding is allocated for the construction of the foundation for the North/South Connector Road’s north phase. The foundational piling operations aim to provide structural resilience to withstand future climatic events, addressing soil deterioration and environmental concerns from previous years. The new road will connect the airport’s North and South terminals, linking them to the upcoming multimodal transit facility with passenger rail service.
ATC Refurbishment
Nine grants have been allocated to airports for the refurbishment of their airport-owned airport traffic control towers. These grants include:
- $10 million to Duluth International Airport in Minnesota: This award is designated for the relocation of an Airport Owned Airport Traffic Control Tower, a non-standard tower commissioned in 1963. The project encompasses design, project formulation, site preparation, line-of-sight obstruction removal, and other related actions.
- $5.4 million to Martin State Airport in Middle River, Maryland: This award partially supports the construction of a new Airport Traffic Control Tower that has reached the end of its useful life.
- $4.5 million to Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas: This funding covers approximately 25% of the construction costs for a new sponsor-owned Airport Traffic Control Tower. The project aims to replace the existing tower with an identified line of sight impediments, lack of ADA compliance, and structural integrity issues. The funding for this phase focuses on the foundation and base of the tower construction.
Sustainability Grants
Several grants include components aimed at enhancing terminal sustainability. These grants encompass:
- $31 million to San Francisco International Airport in California: This award will facilitate the replacement of critical mechanical and electrical components (VFDs, fans, dampers, actuators, control valves, sensors, and other associated elements) in the HVAC system at the International Terminal. This replacement is anticipated to enhance fire-life safety compliance, reduce energy consumption, lower maintenance costs, and improve resilience.
- $27 million to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina: This funding supports the replacement of up to 16 Passenger Boarding Bridges along with associated Ground Power Units and Pre-Conditioned Air units.
- $3.4 million to Appleton International Airport in Wisconsin: This award is allocated for the Expansion and Modernization Project, involving a four-gate concourse expansion and a 60,000 sq. Ft. expansion to increase the number of gates to 10. The funding will partially cover the final phase of the concourse expansion project, including Passenger Boarding Bridges, a solar and sustainability program, and mechanical equipment.
Smaller Communities Grants
Several grants include provisions to enhance airport access in smaller communities. These grants encompass:
- $10 million to Punta Gorda Airport in Florida: This funding is designated for a segment of the terminal rehabilitation and expansion project, covering the renovation of the security checkpoint and the addition of public circulation, holding rooms, and restroom space.
- $6.5 million to Presque Isle International Airport in Maine: This airport will embark on constructing a new terminal to replace the existing undersized terminal. The new terminal will adhere to ADA compliance, feature essential life safety upgrades, and enhance energy efficiency. The award will finance the initial phases of the project, focusing on constructing the superstructure and building enclosure.
- $700,000 to Standing Rock Airport in Fort Yates, North Dakota: This award supports the construction of a new general aviation terminal building. Currently lacking a terminal building or protective structures, this facility is vital for recreational activities, medical emergency flights, and the delivery of hospital and emergency staff to the area.
Bottom Line
Today’s funding stems from the Airport Terminal Program, one of the three aviation initiatives established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This allocation follows over $240 million in Airport Infrastructure Grants.
The law allocates $1 billion annually for five years for Airport Terminal Program grants, contributing to a total historic investment of $25 billion aimed at modernizing the nation’s airport infrastructure. For additional information, visit faa.gov/bil.
President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents a landmark commitment to enhancing the nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. The law focuses on rebuilding roads, bridges, and railways, expanding public transit, and modernizing ports and airports.
To date, the Administration has unveiled over $415 billion in funding for over 46,000 infrastructure projects nationwide and has spurred more than $640 billion in private sector investments in manufacturing and clean energy within the United States.
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