FAA announces almost $1B in aid for airport renovations, upgrades

Oct. 24 (UPI) -- More than 100 airports in 46 U.S. states and territories are set to receive a share of nearly $1 billion dollars for updates, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday.

It's the latest in a series of investments by the Biden administration to enhance and upgrade airports throughout the country.

"Investing in America's airport infrastructure isn't just about upgrading runways and terminals -- it's about growing local economies, creating jobs, and ensuring the safety and efficiency of travel," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "With the grants we're announcing today -- nearly $1 billion in total -- we're helping modernize 125 airports across the country in order to make their operations safer, more accessible and more convenient for travelers."

Past investments typically have focused on things that passengers typically don't see but which can affect their travel experience and safety, such as updates to air traffic control towers, runways and other critical infrastructure.

Thursday's announced investment will focus on improving accessibility for passengers with disabilities, building new baggage systems, creating larger security checkpoints, increasing gate capacity, bringing aging airport terminal infrastructure up to date and improving ground transportation systems.

The administration said there will be a sharp focus on sustainability with all of the projects.

The appropriations range in cost from $40 million to less than a million, and they will take place at airports across the country, and in Guam and Palau.

For example, the Tampa International Airport in Florida will receive $40 million to connect Terminal D to the main terminal with an automated people mover. The project also will add nine passenger boarding bridges to move travelers through the airport more efficiently.

But not all the projects carry multimillion price tags. The Addington Field Airport in Elizabethtown, Ky., will receive $400,000 to renovate and expand the terminal building.

All of the airport investments have been part of the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has sought to improve infrastructure

To date, the administration has invested more than $500 billion in 63,000 infrastructure projects throughout the nation, mostly with a focus on roads and bridges, upgrading and expanding public transit and rail lines, and modernizing the nation's seaports and airports.