Two Pine Belt airports receive federal improvement grant

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDAM) - Two Pine Belt municipal airports have been awarded millions of dollars in grant money by Mississippi members of Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation to make improvements to their facilities.

Sen. Roger Wicker, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Rep. Steven Palazzo and Rep. Michael Guest announced the award of $24.3 million in Airport Improvement Program grant money Wednesday.

USDOT on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration awarded the grants.

“Improving aviation infrastructure promotes safety, improves efficiency, and facilitates better transportation for people and goods,” Wicker said. “Through the FAA’s most recent investment, Mississippi’s airports will be better equipped to serve travelers as flights pick back up while the economy recovers from the pandemic.”

Both the Hattiesburg Bobby L Chain Municipal Airport and Waynesboro Municipal Airport will receive FAA grant money to make improvements to areas of their airports.

Hattiesburg’s airport will receive $890,000 to construct, install and expand the airport lighting vault and fix runway lighting. The Waynesboro airport will get $190,595 to expand the apron.

Hyde-Smith spoke on how the grant will help increase tourism and boost infrastructure.

“Local airports are key to promoting tourism, investment, and economic vitality in communities across Mississippi,” Hyde-Smith said. “These FAA grants will support infrastructure rehabilitation and upgrades, allowing these airports to continue to provide safe and efficient operations.”

Palazzo said the grant will help improve aviation infrastructure in the state and expand operations along with other benefits.

“This funding will help strengthen our aviation infrastructure in south Mississippi and across the state. The projects at these airports will complete improvements and maintenance of facilities while expanding current operations and increasing economic activity for our area,” said Palazzo.

Guest showed his gratitude towards USDOT and FAA for being able to provide funding to the airports to make enhancements for them.

“Mississippi’s community airports are vital economic drivers for the communities they serve. I appreciate the work of DOT and FAA in prioritizing these airports to ensure the necessary upgrades and maintenance are made so they can continue to provide needed services to Mississippians,” Guest said.

The FAA grants will support the state airport improvement projects listed below:

Key Field Airport, City of Meridian - $6,543,750 to reconstruct taxiway and rehabilitate runway
Hardy-Anders Field Airport, City of Natchez - $3,877,200 to rehabilitate runway and taxiway
Gulfport-Biloxi Internation Airport, City of Gulfport - $3,274,615 to improve airport drainage and rehabilitate terminal building, obstruction marking and lighting
University-Oxford Airport, City of Oxford - $2,760,500 to rehabilitate runway
Stennis International Airport, City of Bay St. Louis - $1,375,200 to install runway and rehabilitate runway lighting and taxiway lighting
Golden Triangle Regional Airport, City of Columbus - $790,718 to acquire aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicle
Carthage-Leake County Airport, City of Carthage - $482,883 to rehabilitate apron, runway and taxiway
Prentiss-Jefferson Davis County Airport, City of Prentiss - $432,000 to install NAVAIDS and rehabilitate airport beacons, runway lighting and taxiway lighting
New Albany-Union County Airport, City of New Albany - $425,915 to seal runway pavement
Magee Municipal Airport, City of Magee - $338,715 to rehabilitate runway lighting
Tishomingo County Airport, City of Belmont - $295,875 to rehabilitate runway lighting
Holly Springs-Marshall County, City of Holly Springs - $292,829 to seal apron pavement and taxiway pavement
Louisville Winston County, City of Louisville - $288,828 to install weather reporting equipment
Fletcher Field Airport, City of Clarksdale - $270,000 to install runway and visual guidance system
Ruleville-Drew Airport, City of Drew - $269,618 to construct terminal building, install runway guidance system and rehabilitate access road
Trent Lott International Airport, City of Pascagoula - $225,000 to update airport master plan
Picayune Municipal Airport, City of Picayune - $217,350 to install weather reporting equipment
McCharen Field Airport, City of West Point - $200,000 to acquire land for approaches and development
Bruce Campbell Field Airport, City of Madison - $168,300 to improve airport drainage, seal apron pavement and pavement joints
Indianola Municipal Airport, City of Indianola - $150,000 to rehabilitate runway and taxiway lighting
Yazoo County Airport, City of Yazoo - $150,000 to construct apron
Clarke County, City of Quitman - $135,000 to construct apron
McComb/Pike County/John E Lewis Field Airport, City of McComb - $135,000 to update airport master plan
Tunica Municipal Airport, City of Tunica - $117,000 to conduct or update miscellaneous study