arizona airports receive federal backing for a variety of infrastructure work

More than thirty airports in Arizona are getting funds from the federal Department of Transportation for new runway, taxiway, and apron rehabilitation projects.

The funding is part of a significantly larger $986 million being awarded for airport infrastructure projects nationally.

In a statement, Elaine Chao, Transportation Secretary, said the “infrastructure projects funded by these grants will advance safety, improve travel, generate jobs, and provide other economic benefits for local communities.

The grants are specifically coming through the Airport Improvement Program, which is a part of the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Arizona projects include a total of more than $32 million for various projects:

*  Apron reconstruction and Voluntary Airport Low Emissions infrastructure work at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. 

*  The Tucson International Airport is getting a combined $22 million for two runway reconstruction projects, and both taxiway rehabilitation and reconstruction.

*  A runway reconstruction project at the Window Rock Airport in the Navajo Nation capital of Window Rock is receiving $3.1 million in funding.

*  The Buckeye Municipal Airport is getting nearly $1.7 million to rehabilitate an existing taxiway.

*  The building of a new runway at the historic Falcon Field in Mesa, meanwhile, is receiving just over $1.2 million.

Smaller projects receiving funding include $555,000 for the building of new perimeter fencing at the Eric Marcus Municipal Airport in the town of Ajo, and nearly $204,000 for rehabilitating an apron at the Kayenta Airport in Navajo Nation town of Kayenta.

Funding for a project still in the preliminary planning stage is seeing the Glendale Municipal Airport getting $8.9 million to acquire land for upcoming runway construction work.

By Garry Boulard

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