Across 41 U.S. states $520 million will be invested into 287 airports

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Elaine L. Chao, has announced that $520.5 million will be awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation in airport infrastructure grants. The investment will be shared across 287 airports in 41 states, including Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

As part of the announcement, Chao highlighted the following airports that are among the 287 airports receiving Airport Improvement Program grants:

• General Mitchell International Airport – $600,000 for the rehabilitation of a runway
• State of Wisconsin – $15.5 million to help fund projects at airports across the state of Wisconsin
• Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport – $24 million for the construction of a taxiway
• Reno-Tahoe International Airport – $31.7 million for the reconstruction of a runway
• Portland International Airport – $5.6 million for the construction of a taxiway and rehabilitation of a taxiway
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport – $65 million for the construction of a runway
• Des Moines International Airport – $1.8 million for the reconstruction of a runway and construction of a service road.

Steve Dickson, Federal Aviation Administration Administrator, said: “America’s airports provide a gateway to the world for our citizens while at the same time delivering first impressions of the United States to visitors from abroad. It’s in our national interest to make them the crown jewel in our transportation system. The Airport Improvement Program allows us to do just that.”

Aside from supporting infrastructure through funding, the Department of Transportation is working to streamline the approval process, cut unnecessary red tape and reduce duplicate regulations that do not contribute to safety.  

The investment has a significant impact on more than just passenger experience. The aviation industry is a significant part of the country’s economic growth – according to the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. civil aviation supports more than five per cent of gross domestic product, $1.6 trillion in economic activity, and approximately 11 million jobs.

Following the investment, the Trump Administration will have invested a historic $11.4 billion into more than 2,000 airports across the U.S. for safety and infrastructure improvements since January 2017.