The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved four million dollars in funding for projects to maintain and renovate 20 airports in the state. Tim McClung of the Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation says funds are awarded annually for airport upkeep, but this year things are a little different.
He says this is the first year where the airport improvement projects will be funded through the state aviation fund using aviation-generated revenues through fuel taxes and registration fees. The largest awards for infrastructure projects include over half a million dollars for a seven-million-dollar project at the Des Moines Airport, 313-thousand is going to the easterm Iowa airport in Cedar Rapids for a total project that costs eight-point-five million dollars, and 96-thousand dollars to the Fort Dodge airport for one-point-six million dollar project. All three are doing major renovations and improvements to their terminals.
McClung says other projects will benefit several airports. In addition to the improvements at the airports, the program also funds safety projects, such as a statewide weather system, windsocks and runway markings to help pilots. McClung says they also have some programs targeted at special issues that develop.
He says they’re specific issues such as dealing with birds and deer around the airports and looking at special programs such as land use and passenger air service around the state. For a complete summary of the 2008 Aviation Improvement Program, surf to www.iawings.com .