FAA Awards $24.1 Million in Grants to Hawai‘i Airports

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) reports that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $616.9 million in airport infrastructure grants for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding, nationwide.

Hawai‘i airports are to receive $24.1 million in awards for improvement projects at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, and the Kalaeloa Airport (John Rodgers Field). The grants are as follows:

• $12 million for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to rebuild an aircraft apron. Aprons are areas where aircrafts park, load and unload cargo and passengers, or are refueled.
• $10 million for Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole to build an Airport for Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) training facility.
• $2.1 million for Kalaeloa Airport (John Rodgers Field) to repair a runway.

The FAA will also award grants to Hilo International Airport, Kahului Airport, Moloka‘i Airport, and Lana‘i Airport to acquire ARFF vehicles.

“Tourism is one of the state’s top industries,” said Gov. David Ige. “Funding from the FAA will greatly assist our Airports Division in expediting these needed improvements that will provide more jobs for Hawai‘i residents and better serve our visitors.”

AIP grants fund infrastructure projects that include runways, taxiways, aprons, and terminal projects. These projects enhance the safety and efficiency of the nation’s system of airports. Airports will receive a certain amount of funding each year based on their activity levels and funding needs.

For a complete listing of grants, click here.