California Airports Receive $37 Million In ARA Grants
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt helped break ground Friday for
a new air traffic control tower at Oakland International Airport
funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The
Oakland International Airport ARRA grant, totaling $33.2 million,
is the FAA's largest, single Recovery Act award.
"This Recovery Act project will make a difference for the
Oakland area economy," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood. "People will be put to work building an environmentally
friendly tower that will better serve the airport and the
community."
The Recovery Act grant will pay for construction of the
236-foot-tall tower and a 13,000 square-foot base building, as well
as some equipment for the facility. "This brand new, modernized
tower will give air traffic controllers a better view of the
airfield and help improve airport efficiency," said Babbitt. "The
Recovery Act is allowing us to make needed investments at airports
around the country."
Two air traffic control towers currently serve Oakland
International Airport. A 158-foot-tall tower on the southern
portion of the airfield was built in 1962 as a part of a terminal
expansion project. In 1972, construction of a large hangar blocked
some views from the south tower, requiring the Port of Oakland to
build a second tower to handle traffic on the north runways.
Replacing both towers with a single one will improve air traffic
operations and reduce operating costs. The FAA expects to start
using the new tower in 2013.
The new tower will feature a number of environmental benefits,
including a covered parking structure with solar panels on the roof
of the base building, which will provide power for the tower and
its electrical systems. The tower also will have a geothermal
heating system and a rainwater storage system.
Babbitt
In addition to the Oakland tower funding, the FAA provided a
total of $37 million in Recovery Act grants to Bay Area
airports.
Oakland International Airport received a $14.9 million ARRA grant
to rebuild a large apron area used by airlines and cargo carriers
and to reconfigure a taxiway. By replacing old apron pavement, the
project will improve efficiency and allow larger aircraft to use
the taxiway.
San Francisco International Airport received ARRA grants
totaling $14.5 million to resurface two runways. The projects
leveled out the runways, which tend to settle over time because of
ground conditions. The new asphalt concrete resurface also will
prevent unexpected runway shutdowns due to pavement breakdown, and
will guard against crumbling pavement debris that can damage
aircraft.
In San Jose, a $5.2 million Recovery Act grant is funding the
extension of a taxiway at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International
Airport. This project will improve safety by eliminating the need
for private planes to cross a runway while taxiing to an engine
run-up area. An additional $2.4 million in Recovery Act funds is
modernizing and making safety upgrades at area facilities and
airports.
Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made
available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic
control facility and system upgrades. These Recovery Act grants
have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers,
cargo and general aviation.