WASHINGTON - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced an $8.5 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant to repave a key taxiway at Portland International Airport.

"Maintaining infrastructure is critical to a safe air transportation system," Secretary LaHood said. "This funding will help keep aircraft moving safely and efficiently through Oregon."

The FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant will fund the repaving of Taxiway C, which runs parallel to the airport's primary runway. The 20 year-old taxiway pavement is nearing the end of its structural life.

The project will be done in two phases to keep portions of the taxiway open at all times. The first phase, which was funded through a previous $9.3 million AIP grant, is underway and is expected to be completed in October 2012. The second phase is expected to start in May 2013 and be completed in September 2013.

"Portland ranked among the top 30 busiest U.S. airports last year," said Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. "This grant will enhance Portland's operational safety and efficiency and allow it to provide continued quality service to its passengers."

AIP provides $3.35 billion in annual funding for airport improvement projects that are vital to maintaining the safety, capacity and environmental stewardship of our nation's airports. More than 3,300 airports are eligible for AIP grants benefiting commercial passengers, cargo operations and general aviation activities throughout the nation.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.