The North Carolina Board of Transportation has approved $5.7 million in state and federal funds to upgrade six airports.
The money will be used to provide improvements such as better stormwater planning, safer open areas around runways and more attractive sites for businesses and their aircraft, the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) says in a statement.
The largest allocation, $3,872,000, will help develop a site capable of hosting a fixed-base operator and maintenance facility at Johnston Regional Airport.
Meanwhile, Ashe County Airport will get a $675,000 in funding for a new waterline and pumping system that will enable much more water to reach the airfield in case of a fire or other emergency. Ashe County Airport faces unusual challenges because it sits more than 3,100 feet above sea level, making it the public airport at the highest elevation.
“The water at the airport is provided by a well that would not have sufficient water volume or pressure for the fire department to battle a fire at the airport,” said airport manager Eric Payne. “The installation of the waterline would provide the volume and pressure for a fire hydrant which would give the firefighters a better chance of controlling a bad situation when or if it ever arises.”
Other approved projects include:
- $148,500 for runway protection zone land acquisition services at Dare County Regional Airport;
- $100,000 for runway protection zone land acquisition services at Mid-Carolina Regional Airport in Salisbury;
- $162,000 in additional funding to develop a stormwater master plan at Lumberton Regional Airport; and
- $692,439 in additional funding to prepare the site, as well as build an apron and connecting taxiway, for an expansion of the corporate area at Wayne Executive Jetport.
- Funds awarded to Johnston Regional and Wayne Executive are from a new fund designed to exclusively support economic development projects at airports across the state.
The funds awarded do not necessarily represent the projects’ total costs.