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DOT 147-04
Contact: Bill Mosley, Tel.: (202) 366-4570
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
$10 Million in Improvement Grants Will Help
Pensacola and Valparaiso Airports Meet Increase in Air Travel
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced grants of almost
$10 million for upgrades and expansions at Florida’s Pensacola and Okaloosa
Regional Airports to help them enhance safety while meeting the needs of a
rapidly expanding economy.
“As our economy continues to grow and as travelers become increasingly confident
in aviation security, more and more Americans are taking to the skies,”
Secretary Mineta said. “These new additions and expansions will position these
airports to continue to operate at the highest levels of safety as air traffic
continues to grow.”
Pensacola Regional Airport will receive $8 million to rehabilitate runway 17/35
and construct a new general aviation taxiway. These projects are required to
extend the useful life of the airfield pavement and enhance safety at the
airport. The grant also includes funds to acquire an employee driver training
system.
Okaloosa Regional Airport, which is near Valparaiso, FL, will receive $1.9
million to expand its terminal building to improve the flow of passengers and
baggage through security access points.
The grants come from the Airport Improvement Program of the U.S. Department of
Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration.
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