FAA awards $64M for Kona airport runway rehabilitation
HONOLULU – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has awarded two grants totaling $64.7 million to the state Department of Transportation to rehabilitate the runway at the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole.
The first grant of just over $49.6 million was announced Tuesday by the FAA as part of the Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grant program to improve airport and air traffic control infrastructure across the country.
The FAA on Aug. 9 also awarded just over $15 million to the DOT as part of the federal Airport Improvement Program, which funds airport infrastructure projects.
The combined funds will be used for the Runway 17-35 Rehabilitation Project, which includes construction and repair to the asphalt concrete and cement concrete pavement on the runway and making necessary upgrades to meet current FAA criteria.
Preconstruction work is scheduled to begin in October, and the main construction work is anticipated to begin in November.
“This airfield improvement project is more than just installing new pavement; it’s ensuring reliability for residents and businesses that depend on the airport’s only runway to stay connected and to sustain the economic well-being of the community,” said DOT Director Ed Sniffen in a press release. “We appreciate the support of the Biden administration, the FAA and our congressional delegation in our ongoing efforts to improve operational efficiencies and enhance safety at the Kona airport and our airports across the state.”
