Congressman Robert Aderholt announced a grant from the United States Department of Transportation that will benefit the airport in the city of Fort Payne in DeKalb County. U.S. Senator Richard Shelby said that Fort Payne was one of nine Alabama airports to benefit from the U.S. Department of Transportation grants.
“I’m pleased to announce that Fort Payne’s Isbell Field will be receiving $ 829,227.00,” Aderholt said in a press release. “The funds will be used for taxi lane improvements at the airport. As a member of Congress, and specifically a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I strongly believe in these types of investment in our infrastructure. When most Americans think of infrastructure, these types of improvements are what they are thinking about, and these are the types I support.”
Shelby announced that the nine local airports in Alabama will receive approximately $17.8 million in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant funding.
“Alabama’s local and regional airports play a significant role in our state’s economy, and I am proud that FAA sees the value in supporting them,” Shelby said. “These improvements will go a long way toward increasing travel to and from Alabama and the overall safety of these airports,” said Senator Shelby. “This investment stands to benefit several communities in Alabama, and I look forward to witnessing the growth and success of each of them.”
“Improving the infrastructure at our general aviation airports is an important component of economic development,” Aderholt said. “A new manufacturing job, or a new job in the hospitality industry, both might have started with a company first landing at the local airport to visit the area. Congratulations to Fort Payne and the DeKalb County area in receiving this grant.”
Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “Taxiways refer to defined paths for aircraft on an airfield surface designed to link one part of an airfield to another. Taxiways connect airplanes on the runway with aprons, hangars, terminals, and other areas. Generally, they consist of a hard surface made of asphalt or concrete. Investment in infrastructure is a critical component of the economic development process. Airports require continuous maintenance, and the United States Department of Transportation grant will help improve the overall facility.”
The 10 FAA grants were awarded to nine local airports in Alabama, amounting to $17,818,450 for the following airport projects:
· Mobile International Airport, Mobile, Alabama – $6,762,732 to reconstruct an apron
· Tuscaloosa National Airport, Tuscaloosa, Alabama – $4,213,116 to reconstruct an apron
· Auburn University Regional Airport, Auburn, Alabama – $2,533,041 to construct, extend and improve a safety area
· Prattville Airport-Grouby Field, Prattville, Alabama – $1,425,182 to reconstruct an apron
· Mobile International Airport, Mobile, Alabama – $940,000 to improve airport drainage and erosion control
· Isbell Field Airport, Fort Payne, Alabama – $829,227 to reconstruct a taxi lane
· Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, Birmingham, Alabama – $456,716 to rehabilitate an apron
· Chilton County Airport, Clanton, Alabama – $261,736 to extend a runway
· Abbeville Municipal Airport, Abbeville, Alabama – $236,700 to extend a runway
· Enterprise Municipal Airport, Enterprise, Alabama – $160,000 to extend a runway
Awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the FAA grants are designated for various improvements and advances to local airport infrastructure and administered through the fiscal year 2022 Airport Improvement Program, which was funded in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
