FAA grants $355 million for airport repairs, soundproofing near LAX

FAA continued rolling out its airport improvement program (AIP) grants for 2017, releasing $355.1 million in funds to 147 US airports, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) said. Of the total, $218.7 million is discretionary funds FAA is awarding to 50 airports based on high-priority project needs.

Among the grants are $20 million in discretionary funds to soundproof homes near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) that fall within the 65-69 DNL (Day-Night Average Sound Level) contour. The number of residential homes to receive the noise mitigation insulation was not disclosed.

Since July 6, FAA has announced $1.2 billion in airport improvement funds. Grants are awarded to commercial-passenger (primary), commercial service and general aviation airports alike, as well as block grant programs to individual states for non-primary development projects.

US airports are entitled to a certain amount of airport improvement program (AIP) grants every year, DOT said, based on passenger volume. Discretionary funds are provided as supplements if an airport’s capital project exceeds its entitlement.

Additional larger grants awarded in this group of airports include:

• Snohomish County/Paine Field (PAE), Washington: $7.5 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to reconstruct and relocate part of Taxiway B to enhance safety and $4.5 million in discretionary funding to reconstruct the general aviation apron where aircraft park ($12 million total).
• Burlington International Airport (BTV), Vermont: $12 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to relocate Taxiway G to meet FAA design standards.
• Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Texas: $10.8 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to expand the terminal apron to provide additional space for aircraft parking.
• Kearney Regional Airport (EAR), Kearney, Nebraska: $8.3 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to reconstruct runway 18/36 to meet design standards and $2.4 million in discretionary funding to reconstruct each end of the parallel taxiway, plus rehabilitation of lighting on both the runway and taxiway ($10.7 million total).
• Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR), Tyler, Texas: $10.2 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to repair runway 4/22.
• Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW), Texas: $10 million in discretionary funding  to extend runways 16L/34R and 16R/34L at this air cargo, corporate and military aviation airport.
• Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA), South Carolina: $8.1 million in discretionary funding to repair and extend runway 5/23.