Press Releases

Warner & Kaine Announce $11.7 Million for Improvements at Va. Airports

DOT grants will provide funding to improve infrastructure and increase safety at local airports

Aug 07 2018

WASHINGTON— U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced today that nearly twenty Virginia airports will receive a total of $11,725,371 in federal funding from the Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program.

“We are pleased these funds will allow Virginia airports to continue improving their infrastructure and making air travel safer for all Virginians,” the Senators said. “This federal funding will help these airports to expand travel options, increase local tourism, and attract more businesses.”

Airports and project amounts are listed below:

  • Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport – $506,692. The first grant of $232,632 will help conduct an environmental study of impacts of proposed projects identified on the airport's layout plan and five-year capital improvement plan. The second grant of $274,060 will help reconstruct 40 of the existing airfield guidance sign fixtures.
  • Stafford Regional Airport - $1,260,000. These funds will help extend 6,000 feet of an existing runway at the airport.
  • Twin County Airport (Galax, Hillsville and Carroll, VA) - $180,000. These funds will go towards updating the airport master plan strategy and airport layout plan to address key issues, objectives and goals pertinent to the airport's future development.
  • Warrenton-Fauquier Airport - $1,150,000. These funds will help reconstruct 1,100 feet of the existing taxi lane pavement.
  • Winchester Regional Airport - $277,500. These funds will help meet operational needs of the airport by supporting demolition efforts and the relocation of new taxiways.
  • Commonwealth of Virginia - $500,000. In addition, Virginia will receive funds to conduct a statewide obstruction study to evaluate existing obstructions at six airports.

The funding was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program within the Department of Transportation (DOT). The program supports projects that improve airport infrastructure. Warner and Kaine have long fought for funding for Virginia’s airports and pushed back against the Trump Administration’s suggested budget cuts to DOT to ensure that critical upgrades like these can happen. The Senate is expected to consider a long-term FAA reauthorization measure in the coming weeks that would provide increased funding certainty to allow for further aviation infrastructure investment.

 

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