Passengers run through a terminal at BWI Thugud Marshal Airport. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Image.
Transport Secretary Pete Butgieg announced on Thursday, the Biden administration will send close to $ 1 billion to airports across the country to upgrade terminal facilities.
Maryland Aviation Administration is going to get more than $ 15 million for projects at two airports.
In the grant, $ 970 million will go to 144 airports in 44 states and three regions. Officials of the prescribed, butgieg and other administration for terminal reforms said that grant would fund projects to improve passenger experience and generate employment.
The administration has worked to improve the experience of air travel, Batigi told reporters on Wednesday.
“A part of that better travel experience is to invest in our physical infrastructure to improve airports that represent the beginning and end of every passenger’s journey and airports that are a major economic engines for workers who show every day and communities and trust the airports that are to maintain their connectivity and their competitiveness,” said Batigge.
Butigag said that the grant would fund various types of projects, from the construction of new terminals or concourse to the bathroom, butgi said.
Butigag said that the fund would help improve the baggage system and safety screening areas, expand public transit options, build solar energy infrastructure and increase access.
“This funding is real,” said Shanetta Griffin, Deputy Administrator of Federal Aviation Administration for airports. “We are changing life.”
Buttigieg and Griffin informed reporters on grant selection on the condition that their comments were not made public until Thursday.
Griffin said the FAA received more than 600 applications for the grant, asking for a total of $ 14 billion.
In Maryland, the federal government is sending $ 14,574,160 to the aviation administration to replace 14 boarding bridges at BWI Thugud Marshal Airport. The state received full grant funds, which in total demanded for an estimated project for a cost of more than $ 18.2 million.
Maryland is also getting $ 5.4 million towards the construction of a new air traffic control tower at Martin State Airport in the Middle River. The state had demanded more than $ 22 million for a project, which costs more than $ 23.2 million.
Basic structure law
Funding has been authorized by the Infrastructure Act implemented in 2021. This week, under the grant selection program, represent the third round of an annual grant fund of about 1 billion dollars. The airport terminal program of the law offers $ 5 billion in 5 years.
The total cost for projects selected this year is more than $ 10.3 billion, which means that the grants announced on Thursday average about 9.4% of the total project cost.
Separate funding is available for aviation operations. Infrastructure law offers $ 25 billion in funding for airports, including terminal grants.
Buttigieg highlighted the grant on the standing rock Indian reservation spreading small airports in Appleton, Wiconsin and the northern Dakota and parts of South Dakota.
The Appleton International Airport will receive $ 3.4 million for an overhaul of $ 78 million including adding four gates, updating buildings and improving access.
Standing Rock Airport will receive $ 700,000 out of $ 800,000 required to build a new terminal building near Fort Yets, North Dakota. General aviation airports, entertainment and medical emergencies are not a terminal.
The biggest grant of this year’s selection will go to Fort Lauderdel International Airport in Florida. The $ 50 million grant will be placed towards $ 221 million terminal connector.
Large grants including $ 40 million for Chicago’s O’Ahre International Airport, $ 36 million for Phoenix Airport, $ 35 million for Washington Dualus International Airport in Northern Virginia and $ 26.6 million for Denver airport will also go to major hubs.
Buttigieg will be held on Thursday in Charlotte, Northern Carolina, which will be to announce a grant of $ 27 million for the airport of the city to replace the passenger boarding bridge.
Josh Kurtaz contributed to this report.
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