Kay Ivey to attend the groundbreaking of Mobile International Airport
Governor Kay Ivey announced on Thursday that she will be participating in Friday’s groundbreaking of the Mobile International Airport(BFM). Mobile plans to open the new airport in 2025. The new facility will cost an estimated $330 million and will be approximately 143,000 square feet, with five gates, eventually expanding to host 12. The governor will be joined by U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, Mobile Airport Authority President Chris Curry, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, and Mobile Airport Authority Chairman Elliot Maisel. The Mobile International Airport will be located on Mobile Bay within the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley. Mobile International Airport (BFM) is the Gulf Coast’s newest airport terminal and is conveniently located off I-10. The airport is designed to serve as a gateway to the global market and the thriving economy across the entire Mobile Region. The airport will have facilities to accommodate tourists, persons flying in or out for business, as well as the transportation of cargo. Economic developer Dr. Nicole Jones told Alabama Today, “This is a monumental achievement for transportation in south Alabama. The additional terminal and gates will make Mobile, AL, more competitive with other regional airports such as Gulfport, MS, and Pensacola, FL. Commercial airlines will have increased opportunities for growth in a facility closer to downtown Mobile, major industrial sites, the Port, and interstates. Ultimately the project will help us keep business here at home, which is exciting for the entire state of Alabama.” “A feasibility study conducted in 2018 determined that it was both feasible and critical for the Mobile Airport Authority to move commercial air passenger service from the Mobile Regional Airport in west Mobile to the Mobile Downtown Airport in order to re-capture passenger traffic,” Airport Authority President Curry said. The reasoning in that study remains sound.” The airport is conveniently located just minutes from Downtown Mobile, immediately off Interstate 10. A full-service FBO (Fixed Base Operation) will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering on-site aircraft maintenance and repair. Brookley is also home to Airbus’s passenger jet assembly facility. The Aeroplex at Brookley is a former military base. “The Mobile Airport Authority, its Board of Directors and Staff, along with the Federal Aviation Administration and consulting experts Leigh Fisher, are developing a Master Plan which will support the aerospace and related industries at the Brookley Aeroplex, while also designing options, alternatives, and a process for a complete relocation of commercial air passenger service from Mobile Regional Airport to the Mobile Downtown Airport,” Curry explained. “The Master Plan will direct our efforts to more effectively serve the regional market, creating competitive service that delivers more options and cost savings for our customers. Improving service is critical to improving our opportunities for economic development, jobs, and quality of life into the future.” A recent study suggested that moving the existing passenger air traffic from the Mobile Regional Airport to the new international airport being built at Brookley could take as much as five years and cost as much as $400 million. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Richard Shelby secures $100 million federal infrastructure grant
Sen. Richard Shelby announced that the Mobile Airport Authority (MAA) and the Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) have received a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) grant in the amount of $100 million to participate in the DOT Transportation Demonstration Program. The joint grant will help them participate in the DOT Transportation Demonstration Program to allow for the enhancement of existing infrastructure. The DOT investment aims to capitalize on and streamline aviation, maritime, rail, and highway infrastructure systems. It will also attempt to generate efficiencies in inventory and supply chain management. Since 2015, the Port of Mobile – the eleventh largest seaport in the nation – has grown its volume by 120 percent, making the gateway one of the fastest-growing container terminals in North America. The grant is one of the largest of ever rewarded to Alabama according to Shelby. “This is one of the most impactful federal grants during my time in Congress,” stated Shelby. “Mobile is uniquely positioned to become a major transportation hub, with infrastructure already in place for maritime, rail, aviation, and highways. For many years, I worked to create those conditions by dredging the Port of Mobile and improving the airport. This program will build on that vision. Our Gulf Coast and the entire state of Alabama stands to benefit immensely from this funding in ways we can only imagine. Mobile has a lot to offer, and I am thrilled that we are utilizing its existing infrastructure to create a new transportation hub and economic power source for the entire state.” According to Shelby’s press release, the program will improve the Port of Mobile’s freight container operations by first providing start-up for a dedicated inter-terminal connector with rail access to the Port Authority’s terminal railway and five Class I railroads. The project will also develop an adjacent, two-site Logistics Park that will support the long-term growth of an integrated, intermodal seaport, airport, and rail terminal network for domestic and international freight movement. Furthermore, the project will allow for the use of newer technology to move cargo while also reducing truck distances between the Port of Mobile and regional logistic centers throughout Alabama. John Driscoll, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Alabama State Port Authority, praised Shelby’s efforts and leadership. “The timing of this grant could not be better,” stated Driscoll. “The port is progressing nicely on the channel modernization program, and we just closed out calendar year 2021 with unprecedented growth at our container intermodal facilities. As we move into our fourth container terminal expansion, this port is poised to deliver cost-effective, reliable, and efficient freight and intermodal cargo service for underserved logistics markets regionally and across North America. We’re deeply appreciative of the U.S. DOT funding opportunity and Senator Shelby’s leadership in modernizing our port and multi-modal transportation infrastructure to meet shipper needs and keep American commerce competitive globally.” “We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to U.S. Senator Richard Shelby. This project would not be possible without his support and leadership,” said Elliot Maisel, Chairman of the Mobile Airport Authority. “This investment puts us closer to our goal of building a new terminal debt-free, and that’s exciting. By avoiding debt, we can keep costs low for airlines and pass those savings along to our customers.” The Mobile Airport Authority owns and operates Mobile Regional Airport (MOB), Mobile Downtown Airport (BFM), and the Brookley Aeroplex, generating $1.8 billion in economic value for Alabama.
