WASHINGTON – Sawyer International Airport is receiving a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for improvements to the passenger terminal area parking lots and large aircraft hangars. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) announced the $2,567,366 grant this week.   

“This funding will allow Sawyer International to make needed improvements to the terminal area parking lots to meet Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration requirements, as well as other needed improvements,” Stupak said.  “This is good news for Sawyer International, good news for Marquette County and good news for anyone who travels through Sawyer International Airport.”

Some of the federal funding will be used to enhance the passenger terminal area parking lots at Sawyer International by increasing overall vehicle capacity to meet the growing demand of passengers using the airport, installing additional parking lot lighting, improvements to directional and informational signage allowing vehicles to ease the transition to the either the parking lot or curbside areas of the airline passenger terminal, and a number of security enhancements to comply with DHS/TSA criteria when the airport's security posture is elevated due to potential threats to civil or commercial aviation, in addition to other needed improvements. 

Keith Kaspari, Airport Manager at Sawyer International, said the remainder of the funding will be used to rehabilitate Hangar-402 with improvements to the exterior and interior of the hangar; install a new heating system to Hangar-665; and install backup/secondary or “fail-safe” door protection systems at 11 large aircraft hangars at the airport.

“These funds will ensure that Hangar-402 is renovated to current code requirements making the hangar available for aviation related re-use of the structure, in addition to providing improvements to the large aircraft doors on the airport's 400 & 600 Series hangars so that they do not come down when planes are being towed in or out of the hangars, if the primary door system fails,” Kaspari said.   “While the doors on our hangars are operating today, adding secondary or backup door protection systems is a common sense safety step to prohibit possible injury to airline personnel, or severe damage to aircraft, in addition to preventing severe damage to the overall structure of the hangar itself."

Kaspari continued, "As County leadership and Airport staff continue the redevelopment and transition of the former K.I. Sawyer AFB to a world class commercial service airport, we remain very thankful to Congressman Stupak for his continued support for Marquette County and Sawyer International Airport.”

“Having convenient, efficient travel is vital to growing business in an area,” Stupak continued.  “Improving Sawyer's airport infrastructure can improve the aviation related business environment at Sawyer, and I will continue fighting for Sawyer in Washington.” 

Kaspari said that all projects within the Grant Agreement are anticipated to be completed prior to November of 2008, as the terminal parking lot will be a phased project, allowing for continued use of the parking facility during construction operations.  Planning and design work for all projects is expected to commence immediately.