FAA awarding nearly $1B in grants to 114 airports

The FAA announced on Thursday that it was awarding $970 million from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 114 airports around the country, covering 44 states and three territories. Transportation Secretary Buttigieg shared the news as part of the Investing in America tour, delivering on the President's commitment to rebuilding U.S. infrastructure while lowering costs for families, creating jobs and advancing opportunities for Americans. "Under this administration, we are doing more to improve the travel experience than ever before, from expanding consumer protections to modernizing the physical infrastructure," Buttigieg said. "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."RELATED STORIES:FAA grants nearly $250M to modernize airportsFAA awards $66m for airport improvements across countryThe recent funding will help meet the growing demand for air travel, launching new projects to improve the passenger experience, accessibility and sustainability. The funding will also help to create job opportunities with good pay. Investments to improve the passenger experience include new baggage systems, larger security checkpoints, increasing gate capacity and modernizing aging infrastructure around terminals and ground transportation. The investments will help to increase terminal sustainability and improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Nine of the grants will help address the needs of aging air traffic control towers. "Today's funding not only helps modernize airports to meet the needs of travelers today and for years to come but also creates good-paying job opportunities in communities both large and small," said Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E., FAA associate administrator for airports. The latest funding tops the nearly $2 billion for airport terminals announced over the last two years, with the majority of projects under construction. Many of these grants contain elements to build new or expand terminal facilities. $35 million was awarded to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Virginia to fund a portion of the construction of a 14-gate, 400,000 sq. ft. terminal building including connections to the Aerotrain and Metrorail. $20 million was granted to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) in Utah to fund a portion of the Concourse B terminal expansion that will include 16 gates. $10 million was given to Hector International Airport (FAR) in Fargo, North Dakota to fund a portion of the rehabilitation and expansion of the existing terminal. Rehabilitation includes upgrades to lighting, reconfiguration and the expansion of hold rooms, as well as improving Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliance. The expansion includes four new gates for a total of nine, increasing hold room space, expanded ticketing/baggage handling, expanded restrooms and post-security concessions. Some of the grants include elements to improve the passenger experience like improving security screening areas, providing faster and more reliable baggage systems, and increasing accessibility for passengers with disabilities. $40 million was awarded to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in Illinois to fund 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 was granted to Denver International Airport (DEN) in Colorado to fund a portion of the baggage handling system replacement, including the control system. In addition, the new system will improve energy efficiency and increase capacity. $8.6 million will be given to Kahului Airport (OGG) in Hawai'i to fund the construction of a new two-story security screening checkpoint facility at the south end of the ticket lobby (South TSA Checkpoint). The facility will include six new TSA screening lanes. Additionally, a pedestrian bridge will connect the new checkpoint facility to hold room A and span over the existing service road. $7.5 million was given to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Kentucky to fund a portion of the Terminal A security screening expansion project, consisting of the addition of four screening lanes to the security checkpoint. $2 million is awarded to Spokane International Airport (GEG) in Washington to fund up to two additional ticket counters and passenger boarding bridges, as well as portions of the HVAC, mechanical, electrical, plumbing upgrades, shared use and hearing-impaired technology, smart glass, solar energy connection, baggage handling systems, along with other considerable ADA improvements. $1.5 million was granted to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) in Alaska to fund the installation of 110 audio and visual monitors and stations throughout the terminal to better serve the passengers. Nine of the grants will refurbish airport-owned airport traffic control towers. $10 million was given to Duluth International Airport (DLH) in Minnesota to fund the relocation of an Airport Owned Airport Traffic Control Tower, a non-standard tower commissioned in 1963. The project includes design, project formulation, site preparation and line of sight obstruction removal. $5.4 million was granted to Martin State Airport (MTN) in Middle River, Maryland to partially fund a new Airport Traffic Control Tower. $4.5 million will be awarded to Valley International Airport (HRL) in Harlingen, Texas to fund about 25% of the construction costs of a new sponsor-owned Airport Traffic Control Tower. This project replaces the existing tower that has an identified line of sight impediment, is not ADA compliant and has structural integrity issues. Funding for this phase focuses on the foundation and base of the tower construction. Other grants include an element to increase terminal sustainability. $31 million will be given to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in California to replace critical mechanical and electrical components (VFDs, fans, dampers, actuators, control valves, sensors, and other associated elements) of the HVAC system at the International Terminal. Replacing these components will improve fire-life safety compliance, reduce energy usage, reduce maintenance costs and improve resilience. $27 million was granted to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina to fund the replacement of up to 16 Passenger Boarding Bridges and associated Ground Power Units and Pre-Conditioned Air units. $3.4 million was awarded to Appleton International Airport (ATW) in Wisconsin to fund the Expansion and Modernization Project which includes a four-gate concourse expansion and will include a 60,000-square-foot expansion to increase the number of gates to 10. This award will partially fund the final phase of the concourse expansion project, including Passenger Boarding Bridges, a solar and sustainability program and mechanical equipment. Numerous grants will go toward improving airport access in smaller communities. $10 million was granted to Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) in Florida to fund a portion of the terminal rehabilitation and expansion project, including renovations to the security checkpoint and adding public circulation, hold room and restroom space. $6.5 million will be given to Presque Isle International Airport (PQI) in Maine so the airport can construct a new terminal to replace the existing undersized terminal. The new terminal will be ADA-compliant, include appropriate life safety upgrades and improve energy efficiency. This award will fund the early stages of the project, including the construction of the superstructure and building enclosure. $700,000 will be awarded to Standing Rock Airport (Y27) in Fort Yates, North Dakota to fund the construction of a new general aviation terminal building. There is no current terminal building, or other protective structures, for pilots to get out of the elements. The airport is used for recreational activities along with flights for medical emergencies and delivery of hospital and emergency staff to the area. The latest funding is from the Airport Terminal Program, one of three aviation-related programs developed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, coming on the heels of over $240 million in funding for Airport Infrastructure Grants. The law will provide $1 billion annually over five years for Airport Terminal Program grants. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has provided a monumental $25 billion to modernize the nation's airport infrastructure. The law makes a historic investment in the country's infrastructure and competitiveness by rebuilding American roads, bridges and rails, upgrading and expanding public transit and modernizing the nation's ports and airports. The Administration has announced over $415 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to date. This funding has launched more than 46,000 infrastructure projects around the country and has mobilized over $640 billion in private-sector manufacturing and clean energy investments across the U.S.