HARRISBURG – Users of a dozen county and municipal airports will see safety and service improvements from investments of more than $2.3 million in state and federal funds said Gov. Edward G. Rendell.
In Clearfield County, the Clearfield-Lawrence Airport received $29,250 of federal and state funds to remove obstructions to the runway
“Aviation plays a vital role in the overall economic health of Pennsylvania,” Rendell said. “It plays a key role in providing Pennsylvania businesses with a link to destinations around the world, which is crucial as we compete in the global marketplace.”
Under a funding partnership, the 11 local airports and PennDOT each provide 2.5 percent of the project cost while the Federal Aviation Administration contributes the remaining 95 percent. The federal portion of this funding comes from federal money previously awarded to the commonwealth under the federal state block program, which provides funding to states for airport improvements. The state share of more than $40,000 comes from PennDOT’s aviation development program, which is funded by taxes on aviation fuel.
In addition, the commonwealth will provide $750,000 of aviation development funds for a project at Allegheny County Airport. The airport will provide the remaining $250,000, or 25 percent of the overall project cost.
A list of the projects that this investment will fund includes:
• Allegheny County Airport (Pittsburgh) – $750,000 of state funds to relocate Taxiway E, which will help create much-needed expansion of aviation services at the airport.
• Beaver County Airport (Beaver Falls) – $438,750 of federal and state funds for the construction of a stormwater management system and the installation of a new weather system.
• Bedford County Airport (Bedford) – $146,250 of federal and state funds for the design of an apron and taxi lanes for access to newly constructed hangars.
• Bradford County Airport (Towanda) – $29,250 of federal and state funds to seal airfield pavements.
• William T. Piper Memorial Airport (Lock Haven, Clinton County) – $153,075 of federal and state funds to acquire land and necessary easements to remove hazardous obstructions.
• Corry-Lawrence Airport (Corry, Erie County) – $224,250 of federal and state funds to rehabilitate airport pavements.
• New Castle Municipal Airport (Lawrence County) – $87,750 of federal and state funds for the design phase of a runway pavement repair project.
• Wilkes-Barre/Wyoming Valley Airport (Luzerne County) – $105,787 of federal and state funds to purchase snow removal equipment.
• Mifflin County Airport (Reedsville, Mifflin County) – $341,250 of federal and state funds to construct a taxiway to aircraft storage hangars.
• Wellsboro-Johnston Airport (Wellsboro, Tioga County) – $29,250 of federal and state funds to remove obstructions and acquire easements.
• Titusville Municipal Airport (Venango County) – $14,625 of federal and state funds to install an airport security gate.