Improvements at six North Carolina airports are moving forward after the N.C. Board of Transportation decided during its January meeting to approve state and federal funds for the upgrades.
Almost $5.7 million in funding will be used to provide improvements such as better stormwater planning, safer open areas around runways and more attractive sites for businesses and their aircraft.
The projects the N.C. Board of Transportation approved are:
- $675,000 to install a waterline to meet tenant and firefighter needs at the Ashe County Airport;
- $148,500 for runway protection zone land acquisition services at Dare County Regional Airport;
- $3,872,000 in additional funding to develop a site capable of hosting a fixed-base operator and maintenance facility at Johnston Regional Airport;
- $100,000 for runway protection zone land acquisition services at Mid-Carolina Regional Airport in Salisbury;
- $162,000 in additional funding to develop a stormwater master plan at Lumberton Regional Airport; and
- $692,439 in additional funding to prepare the site, as well as build an apron and connecting taxiway, for an expansion of the corporate area at Wayne Executive Jetport.
Funds awarded to Johnston Regional and Wayne Executive are from a new fund designed to exclusively support economic development projects at airports across the state.
North Carolina airports serve as a vital economic engine connecting people and business enterprises with the world and are among the primary economic drivers in their communities. Airports and aviation-related industries contribute more than $52 billion to North Carolina’s economy each year, according to a 2019 report. They support 307,000 jobs, and generate more than $2.2 billion in tax revenue and more than $12.6 billion in personal income. The Division of Aviation is responsible for airport and aviation system planning and development, and provides funding to local communities for constructing and improving airports statewide.
The funds awarded do not necessarily represent the total cost of the project.
