C.O. airports to share $4.67 million from infrastructure bill; RDM plans terminal expansion
(Update: Airport director comment; funds for terminal expansion)
First of five annual funding rounds
WASHINGTON (KTVZ) – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday it will award an estimated $42.2 million to Oregon’s 51 airports from funding made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including $4.67 million for Central Oregon's four airports.
Most of that funding, more than $3.6 million, is expected to go to Redmond Municipal Airport, while Bend Airport is estimated to get about $763,000 and the Prineville and Madras airports about $159,000 each, the agency said.
The money can be invested in runways, taxiways and safety and sustainability projects, as well as terminal, airport-transit connections and roadway projects. This is the first of five annual rounds of funding Oregon airports will receive.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has given us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build safer and more sustainable airports that connect individuals to jobs and communities to the world,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a news release. “With this new funding, urban, regional and rural airports across the country now can get to work on projects that have waited for years, modernizing their infrastructure and building a better America.”
Oregon airports can submit projects they wish to use the funds on for FAA review in the coming weeks. The FAA encourages airports to prioritize projects that increase airport safety, equity and sustainability. The agency also plans to conduct outreach with the minority business community on these opportunities at airports across the nation.
The following commercial airports in Oregon are estimated to receive funding during the first year of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law:
Mahlon Sweet Field in Eugene: $3,891,571
Rogue Valley International in Medford in Medford: $3,759,479
Portland International in Portland: $20,077,197
Roberts Field in Redmond: $3,602,899
Southwest Oregon Regional in Coos Bay: $1,008,684
An additional 46 reliever and general aviation airports across Oregon are also estimated to receive funding during the first year of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. For an interactive map and listing of funding for all Oregon airports, visit https://www.faa.gov/bil/airport-infrastructure.
Airport Director Zachary Bass told NewsChannel 21 Thursday they did expect to receive about that amount annually for the next five years, but the FAA confirmation is "great news!"
"At this point, we plan on applying the money to our upcoming terminal expansion, which is slotted to begin construction in 2023," Bass said.
The money comes from the Airport Infrastructure Grant program, one of three new aviation programs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law provides $15 billion over five years for this program. The FAA estimates the backlog of airport modernization and safety projects totals $43.6 billion.
