Colorado airports receive millions in FAA grants

(COLORADO) — The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded close to $500 million to help airport infrastructures around the country.

The grant funds projects involving runways, taxiways, airport signage, airport lighting, and airport markings. Each year, airports are entitled to a certain amount of AIP funding based on passenger volume.

The FAA announced a list of the winners in June and most recently, Friday, July 26. The latest release of the grants includes seven airports in Colorado, joining the 14 airports that were awarded in late June.

The biggest award in July — located in Colorado — was granted to Denver International Airport (DIA), and the $6,366,686 million grant will be used to rehabilitate the taxiway. The second biggest grant of $1.2 million was given to Yampa Valley Aiport in Hayden. It will be used to acquire aircraft rescue and fire fighting safety equipment and a vehicle.

Other local airports that received awards on July 26 include:

• Wray Municipal Airport : $615,834 to construct a taxiway.
• Telluride Regional : $583,377 to build apron.
• Greely-Weld County : $513,559 to rehabilitate apron.
• Cortez Municipal : $365,574 to reconstruct a terminal access road.
• Monte Vista Municipal : $134,347 to extend/expand taxiway.

Other airports that received an award in June included:

• Kit Carson County : $3,519,002 to reconstruct taxiway.
• Montrose Regional : $1,213,759 to acquire snow removal equipment.
• Eagle County Regional : $750,000 to reconstruct taxiway.
• Northern Colorado Regional : $609,290 to rehabilitate taxiway.
• Blake Field : $520,987 to reconstruct apron.
• Colorado Plans Regional : $422,109 to expand apron.
• Erie Municipal : $380,382 to rehabilitate apron and taxiway.
• Yuma Municipal : $365,573 to reconstruct taxiway.
• Vance Brand : $315,000 to install perimeter fencing.
• Pueblo Memorial : $253,000 to rehabilitate apron.
• Central Colorado Regional : $196,377 to expand and rehabilitate apron.
• Cortez Municipal : $187,694 to install a runway visual guidance system, reconstruct runway lighting, and rehabilitate the runway.
• Lake County : $91,393 to reseal apron pavement, taxiway pavement, and runway pavement. The runway pavement will also be resurfaced.
• San Luis Valley Regional/Bergman Field : $59,290 to install an airport rotating beacon and a runway visual guidance system.

Overall, Colorado received over $18 million to fund a variety of airport projects in the state. The FAA awarded hundreds of airports in the country and in American Samoa to invest in airport improvements as well.

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