FAA awards infrastructure grants to DFW, NY JFK, Houston Bush

FAA has awarded approximately $733 million in airport improvement program (AIP) grants so far in September, including $448.1 million in discretionary funds, pushing AIP awards in 2017 over the $3 billion mark.

According to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), more than 1,660 new grants have been announced this year thus far, providing funds for 681 runway projects and 588 taxiway projects, in addition to signage, terminal renovations, and numerous other allotments, to nearly 1,360 US airports.

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.

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

Large AIP and discretionary funds granted in September include:

• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Texas: $52.2 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to repair the airport’s primary runway 17C/35C. Funds will also be used to upgrade DFW’s terminal aircraft parking apron lighting to improve the airport’s energy efficiency, DOT said.
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York: $24.8 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to repair taxiway Q, as well as installation of electric charging stations for electric ground service equipment vehicles to reduce airport emissions.
• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas: $24 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to repair and widen one of the main taxiways at IAH to accommodate larger aircraft.
• Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE), Ohio: $21 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to “correct the geometry of various taxiways at the airport,” DOT said. “These improvements are part of the FAA’s Runway Incursion Mitigation (RIM) program to enhance safety at the airport.”
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois: $17.5 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to repair the airport apron.
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia: $16.8 million in entitlement funds to reconstruct a taxiway and runway 09L/27R (note: ATL was awarded $15.8 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding in August to construct a taxiway).
• Bob Baker Memorial Airport (IAN), Kiana, Alaska: $16.2 million in combined AIP and discretionary funding to rehabilitate and expand the existing apron, reconstruct  and extend runway 06/24 by 600 ft., construct a taxiway, rehabilitate an access road and reconstruct runway lighting at this commercial service airport in the Northwest Arctic Borough of Alaska.
• Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Texas: $14.9 million in combined AIP and discretionary funds to expand the airport’s terminal apron.