Millions of dollars in federal funding is already on the ground at local airports, intended to improve safety as well as passengers’ travel experience.
U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell on Friday, Dec. 22 announced $11 million in grants to airports in Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties.
Bellingham International Airport has already received its $3.5 million allocation, said Mike Hogan, Port of Bellingham public affairs administrator. A $1.3 million grant went toward reconfiguring the airport’s taxiway this past summer, to make movement of planes around the airport safer.
The other $2.2 million was spent on new aircraft rescue and firefighting safety equipment, snow removal equipment and a new storage building.
“The new building provides a dry area to store and maintain the airport snow and ice control equipment,” Hogan said. Construction should be complete by mid-January.
Skagit Regional Airport got the largest sum in the three-county area — $5.31 million for a new taxiway, signs and lighting.
Some of the federal funding came from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Other grants in the region:
- Friday Harbor Airport received $1.68 million for environmental and energy-efficiency studies and drainage control;
- Lopez Island Airport won a $330,000 grant for safety items and weather-reporting equipment;
- Orcas Island Airport accepted a $150,000 grant to update its master plan;
- and Anacortes Airport received $100,000 for drainage control.
