DFW Airport Gets Federal Funds For Runway Work
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Officials at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport plan to use about $52 million in federal aid for runway and lighting improvements next year.
Airport officials said Monday that $49.5 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration will be spent improving the airport's busiest runway for arrivals.
Crews will replace a 6,000-foot stretch of concrete and install pavement sensors to measure weather effects.
Officials say DFW's six other runways will allow them to run a full schedule of flights without causing significant delays.
"Next year, we plan to rehabilitate the runway used for more arrivals than any other at DFW, and this grant from the FAA will go a long way toward funding that critical infrastructure need," said Sean Donohue, chief executive officer at DFW Airport. "We thank our partners at the FAA for supporting DFW through needed infrastructure improvement grants, and we also extend our sincerest gratitude to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Congressman Kenny Marchant for their ongoing support of DFW Airport."
Another $2.6 million will help pay to upgrade lighting on the ramp areas where planes pull up to terminals.
"To remain competitive in an increasingly globalized economy, we need to make sure that our major airports such as DFW have the full backing of its federal partners and stakeholder groups," said U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, (D) Texas 30th District. "As the most senior Texan on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will fight to ensure that we continue to make those investments in airports like DFW so that we can stay ahead of the competition and keep America moving."
"DFW Airport should be considered as the nation's premier transportation hub and it will only improve with these projects," said U.S. Congressman Kenny Marchant, (R) Texas 24th District. "I am honored to represent DFW Airport in Congress and look forward to the seeing the impacts these improvements will have on air-travel, trade and job creation in North Texas."
The rehabilitation project is scheduled to take place in mid-2018. The runway will be closed for about four months, but DFW's six additional runways will allow a full schedule of flight operations.
Customers should not see significant air traffic delays due to the closure, the airport said in a news release Monday.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
