The US Department of Transportation has awarded a new round of airport infrastructure grants, totaling $970 million, to upgrade and expand terminals across the country.
The third and final round of grants, which the US DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on February 15, will go to projects at 114 airports in 44 states and three territories. The list of winners includes some of the largest hubs in the US, as well as regional and smaller airports.
The funds come from a highly competitive airport terminal program, which was created in the Jobs and Infrastructure Investment Act of 2021.
The $1.2 trillion landmark legislation includes $5 billion over five years for final grants. The new batch of prizes represents the third round of the program to date.
DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters at a Feb. 14 briefing to preview the grant election that the funds will go toward several types of infrastructure. “These are projects that will save Americans time and money,” Buttigieg said, “from building entirely new concourses or terminals to making other major upgrades, repairs to new baggage systems, traffic control towers air, better security screening areas, more public transport options [and] better accessibility options for travelers with disabilities.”
Top grants go to Fort Lauderdale, O’Hare
Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport will get the largest grant: $50 million. The funds will go toward the construction of two connector walkways between terminals and upgrades.
The second largest prize is $40 million, at Chicago O’Hare International. The funds will help fund several improvements to the 60-year-old Terminal 3.
Other large grants include $36 million to Phoenix Sky Harbor International and $35 million to Washington Dulles International in Virginia.
“We’re very focused on not just making grant announcements, but guiding these projects through to completion,” Buttigieg said.
Projects are “ready to go”
Grant applicants must meet the agency’s selection criteria, including having projects that are “go-ready” and able to begin construction “right away,” said Shannetta Griffin, the agency’s associate airport administrator. FAA, at the briefing.
Griffin also noted that in addition to the terminal grants, the IIJA’s airport infrastructure programs also include $15 billion over five years for “airside” projects such as runways and runways. roll
As with other competitively awarded US DOT grants, demand for the airport terminal funds greatly exceeded available amounts.
Griffin said the FAA received 654 requests, requesting a total of $14 billion.
