FAA invests $85 million to improve airports across Alaska

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced 19 airports throughout Alaska will receive a total of $85 million through the FAA Airport Improvement Programme grants to help with safety, accessibility, and sustainability efforts. The funding is from the fifth round of fiscal year 2021 Airport Improvement Programme grants. 

“Aviation is a way of life in America, and nowhere is this truer than in Alaska,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “These grants invest in the safety of Alaska’s airport infrastructure.”

Aviation provides the backbone of daily commerce to many communities in the state, including the delivery of food and life-saving supplies, inter-city and inter-village transportation, emergency medical evacuations and daily commuting.

The projects announced today will not have to pay the usual local match due to the nearly $100 million in President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act.

The grants investments

Municipality of Anchorage

• Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Anchorage, Alaska: $7.3 million to buy snow removal equipment, update the Airport Master Plan, seal the pavement on the taxiway, refresh the taxiway and taxi lane, as well as improvement to taxiway lighting.  

North Slope Borough 

• Atqasuk Edward Burnell Sr. Memorial Airport (ATK), Atqasuk, Alaska: $20.7 million to repair the gravel pavement on Runway 6/24, the aircraft parking area, the taxiway to the parking apron, and other airfield improvements. The project enhances the safety of airport operations and extends the life of the airport infrastructure. Atqasuk, a remote community in northern Alaska, is solely dependent on aviation for the transportation of people, goods, and critical services.

Other 

• Bethel Airport (BET), Bethel, Alaska: $34.3 million to reinforce the strength of the runway including reconstruction and rehabilitation to the taxiway, airport lighting vault, emergency generator and airfield guidance signs, as well as the purchase of snow removal equipment.

• McGrath Airport (MCG), McGrath, Alaska: $3.3 million to reconstruct the snow removal equipment building.

Aleutians East Borough 

• Cold Bay Airport (CDB), Cold Bay, Alaska: $1.2 million to rehabilitate and expand the snow removal equipment building.

• King Cove Airport (KVC), King Cove, Alaska: $383,381 to apply a sealant to the pavement and joints on the aircraft parking area and the taxiway. This work will extend the useful life of the pavement by preventing water from infiltrating pavement joints. 

Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area

• Kaltag Airport (KAL), Kaltag, Alaska: $9.2 million to remove non-hazardous markings and lights, to rebuild the runway, the aircraft parking area and the taxiway to the parking apron, reconstruct to the snow removal equipment building, installation of runway and taxiway lighting, and install navigational aids.

• Nenana Municipal Airport (ENN), Nenana, Alaska: $450,000 to develop a new Airport Master Plan.

City and Borough of Sitka 

• Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport (SIT), Sitka, Alaska: $3.7 million to make improvements to the seaplane base.

An additional 10 State of Alaska airports are receiving grants to buy snow removal equipment. Grant amounts for these airports are:

• Brevig Mission Airport (KTS), Brevig Mission, Alaska: $407,189
• Chalkyitsik Airport (CIK), Chalkyitsik, Alaska: $407,189
• Crooked Creek Airport (CKD), Crooked Creek, Alaska: $354,836
• Elim Airport (ELI), Elim, Alaska: $407,189
• Holy Cross Airport (HCR), Holy Cross, Alaska: $407,189
• Hughes Airport (CVR), Hughes, Alaska: $407,189
• Klawock Airport (KLW), Klawock, Alaska: $371,356
• Kotlik Airport (KOT) Kotlik, Alaska: $407,189
• Russian Mission Airport (RSH), Russia Mission, Alaska: $407,189  
• Valdez Pioneer Field (VDZ), Valdez, Alaska: $698,039

The Airport Improvement Programme receives approximately $3.2 billion in funding each year. The FAA plans to award more than 1,800 grants in 2021. To date, Alaska airports have received $208.4 million in 2021 grants.