Mar. 31—The control tower at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport will receive an $855,000 upgrade funded by federal money.
"The tower was built in '81 and it's going to be a general refurbishment of the tower's integrity," said Gabe Monzo, Westmoreland Airport Authority director.
The Unity airport has received more than $5 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act since 2021. Previous grant-funded projects include renovations and equipment improvements required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
In 2022, airport officials completed a taxiway reconstruction project, purchased new equipment including aqueous film-forming foam and an 800-horsepower snow broom with the help of federal funding.
"Thanks to the infrastructure law, the airport will be able to improve air traffic control operations, make the tower more accessible for people with disabilities, and fund necessary repairs to its walls, floors and roof, improving the travel experience for Southwestern Pennsylvanians," U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, said a statement announcing the award from the FAA.
The money will also cover heating and air conditioning, lighting and restroom improvements.
"We certainly appreciate the work that has been done," Monzo said. "These improvements will greatly help the airport's operations, especially refurbishing the air traffic control tower."
The federally funded improvements are among several projects planned for the regional airport, foremost among them a $22 million project to double the size of the terminal.
The proposed expansion includes more room for the passenger holding area, a lounge and a restaurant
or snack shop. Project heads have acquired more than $12 million in federal funding to allocate to the expansion. Officials previously said they were looking to start construction later this year.
Airport officials are also awaiting the fate of a lawsuit involving Spirit Airlines, its sole commercial carrier.
JetBlue Airways agreed to purchase Spirit for $3.8 billion, but the deal is being held up by a federal lawsuit filed earlier this month by the Justice Department. Officials with the department claim the deal would increase airfares for travelers.
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Related:
—Westmoreland airport 'waiting for everything to shake out' as feds try to block Spirit, JetBlue merger
—Proposed bids total $1.9M for first phase of Arnold Palmer Airport terminal expansion
—Upgrades eyed to aid Westmoreland airport's future
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Haley Daugherty is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Haley at 724-850-1203 or [email protected].
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