A $1bn investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be given to 85 US airports to improve infrastructure.
The funding comes from the “Airport Terminals Program”, one of three aviation programs which provides $1bn annually for five years as part of airport terminal grants.
Money will be split between:
- 76 grants to increase terminal sustainability.
- 73 grants to boost accessibility for those with disabilities.
- 70 grants to expand terminal capacity.
- 47 grants to improve rural airports and airport access to historically disadvantaged populations.
In addition, new air traffic control towers will be built at General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport in Illinois, and Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina.
Multimodal transportation access will be improved in Gainesville Regional Airport, Florida.
Some of the largest grants include a $50m loan to Orlando International Airport in Florida to build four new gates, $35m for a zero-carbon electrical central utility plant at Dallas-Fort Worth and a $20m project for Pittsburgh International Airport to build a new 700,000 sq ft terminal adjacent to the existing airside terminal.
$14.4m will be used to expand and update existing temporary terminal space at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and $10m will replace infrastructure at Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones Field in Alabama.
Pete Buttigieg, US transportation secretary, said: “Americans deserve modern airports that meet the needs of their families and growing passenger demand. Funded through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, today’s grants will improve airport terminals while also creating good jobs in communities across the country.”
A. Bradley Mims, FAA deputy administrator, said: “The work that goes in to build safer, more accessible and sustainable terminals will provide opportunities for people across the nation. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a critical investment not only in our nation’s infrastructure, but an investment in the future of our country’s workforce.”
A comprehensive breakdown of the Airport Terminals Program is available here.
