Earlier this week, Forbes named the best U.S. airline and airport as well as international winners. If you haven’t traveled in a while, you might be surprised by some of their results – especially New York’s LaGuardia Airport winning best U.S. airport.
It doesn’t feel that long ago when Joe Biden, then Vice President, said LGA was like a “third-world country.” He took some flack for that statement but sometimes the truth hurts and good for New York for making lemonade out of lemons. It took almost 10 years and a cool $8 billion but look at it now.
Fortunately, our government officials who are also frequent fliers, realize that airport infrastructure is important and are investing in America’s future. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg just posted this on Instagram: “Investing in America’s airport infrastructure isn’t just about upgrading runways and terminals—it’s about growing local economies, creating jobs, and ensuring the safety and efficiency of travel for generations to come. With the grants we’re announcing today—nearly $1 billion in total—we’re helping modernize 125 airports across the country in order to make their operations safer, more accessible, and more convenient for travelers.”
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This is in reference to the Biden-Harris administration announcing nearly $1 billion in grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve 114 airports across the U.S.
According to a press release: “Many grants contain an element that will build new or expanded terminal facilities. Among them are:
- $35 million to Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia: This award funds a portion of the construction of a 14-gate, 400,000 sq. ft. terminal building including connections to the Aerotrain and Metrorail.
- $20 million to Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah: This award funds a portion of the Concourse B terminal expansion that will include 16 gates.
Many grants also contain an element that will improve the passenger experience by improving security-screening areas, providing faster and more reliable baggage systems, and increasing accessibility for passengers with disabilities. Among them are:
- $40 million to Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Illinois: This award funds improvements to Terminal 3 to include increasing the central passenger corridor width, a reconfigured TSA checkpoint, new hold room, a new ADA compliant and family restroom, and updates to the baggage system.
- $26.6 million to Denver International Airport in Colorado: This award funds a portion of the baggage handling system replacement, including the control system. In addition, the new system will improve energy efficiency and increase capacity.
- $8.6 million to Kahului Airport in Hawai‘i: This project funds the construction of a new two-story security screening checkpoint facility at the south end of the ticket lobby (South TSA Checkpoint). The facility will include six new TSA screening lanes. A pedestrian bridge will connect the new checkpoint facility to hold room A and will span over the existing service road.
Many grants will increase access to other modes of transportation or improve roadways. Those include:
- $31 million to Los Angeles International Airport in California: This award funds two areas of the Auxiliary Curbs at ITF West and ITF East which includes a combination of new, extending, widening, and utility improvements of surrounding roadways. This also includes underground Low Impact Development (LID) storm water containment systems.
- $8 million to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida: This award funds a portion of the reconfiguration and expansion of the terminal access and curbside roadways.
Many grants contain an element that will increase terminal sustainability. Among them are:
- $31 million to San Francisco International Airport in California: This award will replace critical mechanical and electrical components (VFDs, fans, dampers, actuators, control valves, sensors, and other associated elements) of the HVAC system at the International Terminal. Replacing these components will improve fire-life safety compliance, reduce energy usage, reduce maintenance costs, and improve resilience.
- $27 million to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina: This award funds the replacement of up to 16 Passenger Boarding Bridges and associated Ground Power Units and Pre-Conditioned Air units.
These are just some of the grants; see the complete list of airports receiving funding online.
I’m happy to see that many of the airports I frequent are getting money and so are others on social media. Here are just a few of the comments from Secretary Pete’s instagram:
Hungryholler: Thank you for letting The People know what good government can do. Where and how taxpayer funding is used should be publicly explained Every single time, along with voting records. It just makes sense and will make our country stronger and governed better. ☮️
sarah_jane_wyatt: Please help improve Customs in US airports! Returning from abroad, especially at Dulles, is a nightmare.
rossgharmon: It’s over $1B to build a single runway at DEN now – so don’t get your hopes up with this spread across 125 airports!
As the last user pointed out, building is expensive, so we’ll need a lot more to spend and there’s plenty of work to do but at least it’s moving in the right direction to help improve the travel experience.
KEEP READING
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