WASHINGTON -
Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced more than $6.5 million in grants for maintenance and construction projects at 11 New Mexico airports. The grants were awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Aviation Analysis, and fund runway rehabilitations, building and fencing construction, and other safety improvements.
"New Mexico's airports help drive the local economies of many of our communities, and these grants will fund needed repairs and construction projects to make air travel throughout our state safer and more efficient," Udall said. "As a member of the Senate Appropriations and Commerce committees, I'll continue to fight for resources to modernize our airports and transportation systems to better connect our communities, and support tourism and business opportunities that help create jobs."
"Modernizing our transportation system is critical to longterm economic growth and spurs job creation across New Mexico," Heinrich said. "Federal investments to improve infrastructure at our airports--particularly throughout Indian Country--will support commerce, connect New Mexicans, and improve safety. The transportation and the aviation industries in New Mexico keep our state a prime destination for business and tourism, and I will work to ensure they continue to thrive."
The projects funded by the grants are:
- Aztec Municipal Airport: $475,020 for the reconstruction of 6,980 square yards of the existing apron to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement.
- Carrizozo Municipal Airport: $180,227 for crack sealing on 4,944 feet of Runway 6/24 to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and minimize debris on the runway.
- Gallup Municipal Airport: $3,368,298 for the mill and overlay of 7,315 feet of the existing Runway 06/24 pavement.
- Grants-Milan Municipal Airport: $221,490 for design phase 2 of 3 for the full reconstruction of the 7,172 feet of existing runway pavement.
- Lea County-Zip Franklin Memorial Airport: $144,450 for installation of a 3,550 foot perimeter fence to prevent unauthorized persons and vehicles from entering the airfield.
- Los Alamos Airport: $193,343 for a sealcoat for 6,000 feet of Runway 09/27 to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and minimize debris on the runway.
- Ohkay Owingeh Airport: $315,000 to construct a building to store snow removal equipment and extend the life of the equipment by protecting it from adverse weather conditions.
- Santa Fe Municipal Airport: $500,000 awarded through the Small Community Air Service Development Program for a revenue guarantee and marketing program to support service to Phoenix, Ariz.
- Shiprock Airstrip Airport: $350,000 for the design phase of reconstruction of 5,341 feet of the existing runway pavement, and $135,000 for an aeronautical survey for RNAV approach for runway 02/20.
- Socorro Municipal Airport: $192,600 for a new vertical/visual guidance system and precision approach pathway indicator to make the airport more accessible by improving approaches to the runway ends.
- Springer Municipal Airport: $450,000 for the construction phase of the installation of a 12,250 foot perimeter fence to keep wildlife out of the airport.
Total awarded funding: $6,525,428
