May 11—DULUTH — A project to replace the Duluth International Airport's air traffic control tower — the nation's third oldest — received another funding boost last week.
The Federal Aviation Administration awarded nearly $6 million to replace a more than 70-year-old tower, according to news releases Friday from U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, R- Hermantown, and Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, both Democrats from Minnesota.
"I've been fighting for funding to replace this tower that is one of the oldest in the country and in urgent need of repair," said Klobuchar. "With this major federal grant, the Duluth International Airport is a step closer to completing this project and boosting safety and efficiency."
The proposed new control tower, with a price tag of $66 million, would stand nine stories and 150 feet tall, compared to the current 54-foot tower it will replace.
The $5.98 million in new federal funding puts a dent in the project's
$38 million funding gap reported
by airport officials in March.
It
was previously awarded $10 million through the federal Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act in February 2024,
and local officials have sought $14 million from the state in the last two legislative sessions.
In addition to its age, the deteriorating structure no longer meets FAA standards for line-of-sight requirements. Meanwhile, the costs of limping along with the existing tower continue to mount, with the airport investing more than $500,000 in upgrades and repairs over the last several years, the News Tribune previously reported.
"This upgrade is desperately needed as the current air traffic control tower was constructed in the 1950s and is currently the third oldest in the country," Stauber said in the release. I have been advocating for its replacement since 2019 and I'm proud to have helped secure more funding to make this airport safer and more competitive for the 21st century."
Funding for the FAA's Airport Terminals Program comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
While Klobuchar and Smith voted for the infrastructure bill,
Stauber voted against it.
He has, however, remained supportive of using the bill's federal funding for the air traffic control tower and other projects in the 8th Congressional District.
" The Duluth International Airport provides critical service to northern Minnesota, from commercial service to cargo, military and medical flights, yet it's operating with a 70-year-old tower — the third oldest in the nation — that is not up to FAA standards," Smith said. "This investment will make air travel in the Duluth area safer and more efficient. This kind of investment is exactly why I voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which made this important project possible."
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