HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Corbett has announced a $3.7 million state investment that will help 19 airports enhance their operations and accommodate increasing business needs.
“Transportation is an economic driver, and Pennsylvania’s aviation industry plays a major role in delivering good-paying jobs and connections for commerce,” Corbett said. “We continue to invest in airport improvement projects because they help meet business demands and support the jobs that rely on these facilities.”
The $3.7 million in grants are provided by PennDOT’s aviation development program. Funding for the aviation program comes from the state’s jet fuel tax and leverages more than $1.2 million in local matching funds. Public-use airports in the state are eligible for the aviation development program.
The state has 133 public-use airports and heliports and 15 of those airports have scheduled commercial service.
For more information, visit www.dot.state.pa.us and then click on the “2013 State Transportation Program” button, or call 717-783-8800.
Editor’s Note: Following is a list of airport improvement grant recipients, the amount of funding, and a brief description of the projects:
Allegheny County: Allegheny County Airport — $1.1 million to rehabilitate the electrical infrastructure for the public parking lot and adjacent areas, as well as improve power-generation capacity to accommodate nighttime operations.
Armstrong County: McVille Airport — $622,500 to improve the airfield fuel facility and continue runway construction with navigation lighting installation.
Beaver County: Zelienople Municipal Airport — $397,500 to continue extending and improving the airport access road and hangar area.
Berks County: Reading Regional/Carl A. Spaatz Field– $36,184 to purchase emergency communications equipment to meet federal requirements.
Butler County: Butler Farm Show Airport — $22,500 to seal cracks in the runway.
Centre County: Bellefonte Airport — $37,500 to acquire maintenance and snow equipment.
Chester County: New Garden Flying Field — $56,250 to rehabilitate the apron pavement near a hangar.
Columbia County: Bloomsburg Municipal Airport — $131,628 for additional site preparation necessary to continue runway extension construction.
Crawford County: Port Meadville Airport — $10,800 to assist with municipal airport hazard zoning.
Dauphin County: Harrisburg International Airport — $123,000 to acquire an emergency electric generator.
Indiana County: Indiana County/Jimmy Stewart Airport– $97,500 to acquire an aircraft refueling truck.
Jefferson County: DuBois Regional Airport — $75,000 to rehabilitate an aircraft maintenance hangar.
Lawrence County: New Castle Municipal Airport — $315,000 to remove trees obstructing the approach area.
Lebanon County: Deck Airport — $37,500 to seal cracks in the runway.
Luzerne County: Hazleton Municipal Airport — $93,750 to acquire airfield maintenance equipment.
McKean County: Bradford Regional Airport — $365,000 to continue improving its fueling facility, acquire land for airport development and improve runway approach areas.
Northumberland County: Danville Airport — $45,000 to remove obstructions to improve runway safety.
Venango County: Venango Regional Airport — $112,500 to acquire airfield ground handling equipment.
Washington County: Finleyville Airport — $90,000 to acquire land to improve runway approach areas.
