The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $20 Million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to 29 airport owned traffic control towers across the U.S. The funding will be used to upgrade and build control towers in small towns and at regional airports.
This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law goes to smaller and regional airports to help improve safety, lower costs and support local businesses. The funding will support important aviation operations such as commercial services, emergency services, agricultural aviation, flight training, and shipping of goods.
“Airports aren’t just travel hubs, they are important job centers and economic engines—especially in smaller communities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We’re proud to deliver these investments, which will help us improve safety at airports and support local economies for decades to come.”
“Today’s grant allows airports to make much needed upgrades to their airport traffic control tower while improving safety, providing good-paying job opportunities and supporting local economies,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Airports Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E.
Among the grants being announced today are:
- $1.5 Million to Columbus Municipal Airport in Indiana: This award for construction of a new Airport Traffic Control Tower to improve the line of sight and better serve one of the fastest growing general aviation airports in the state of Indiana.
- $860,000 to Joplin Regional Airport in Missouri: This award will replace the airport's aging airfield lighting control and monitoring system, enhancing safety to improve tower operations. In addition, it replaces aging tower equipment.
- $1.1 Million to Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in Texas: This award funds the planning, environmental, and preliminary design for relocating the existing tower, which has line of sight issues due to the extension of the new primary runway. The current facility, which is 75 years old, does not meet existing safety standards. In addition to resolving line of sight and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issues, the new location will add an elevator and other Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant accessibility features.
A full list of all grants being awarded is available on the FAA website.
Today’s announcement includes 33 grant awards at 29 airports for Fiscal Year 2023 as part of the FAA Contract Tower Competitive Grant program. These grants will sustain, construct, repair, improve, modernize, replace or relocate airport-owned towers and install communications equipment.
The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes a historic investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. It will rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, upgrade and expand public transit, modernize the nation’s ports and airports, improve safety, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice and invest in communities that are too often left behind. It will drive the creation of good-paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably to help everyone get ahead for decades to come.
