WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is giving practically $1 billion to 85 airports to increase and improve terminals and different services, utilizing cash permitted in final 12 months’s enormous infrastructure invoice.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mentioned the tasks will assist meet future demand for journey and make flying safer and more environment friendly.
“I don’t think anybody could look at airports across America today and say that the existing system and existing levels of funding have been adequate,” Buttigieg informed reporters.
The grants introduced Thursday are the primary installment of $5 billion for airport tasks that have been included in an infrastructure invoice that Congress permitted and President Joe Biden signed final November.
The largest of the Federal Aviation Administration grants embody $60 million to enhance the terminal and exchange the bag-handling system at Denver International Airport, $50 million apiece for Boston’s Logan Airport and Orlando International Airport in Florida, $49.6 million for Dulles Airport outdoors Washington, D.C., to construct a brand new concourse and $20 million for Pittsburgh International Airport to construct a brand new terminal subsequent to the previous one.
FULL LIST: Airport Upgrades via infrastructure bill
The foremost airports in Detroit and Philadelphia will get more than $20 million every to renovate their restrooms.
The FAA mentioned 532 airports submitted purposes for 658 tasks that, if all had been granted, would have totaled more than $14 billion.
In the previous, federal funds have gone largely into runways, taxiways, and towers whereas airports paid for terminal upgrades with cash they get from passenger facility prices, or PFCs — as much as $4.50 per flight that’s tacked onto each airline ticket.
Buttigieg mentioned it’s superb to spend taxpayer cash on tasks that have been usually funded by passenger charges up to now as a result of “there is a need out there; taxpayers expect it and want it.”
Congress may contemplate elevating ticket taxes for airport tasks subsequent 12 months. Airports wish to elevate the charges, however airways don’t.
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