Aviation Infrastructure Improvements Part of Massive New $50B Spending Plan

The government is about to toss another $50 Billion into its spending plans... though, this time, one of the benefactors is the aviation industry. Where that money may actually come from, however, has yet to be disclosed...

According to the White House, "The President (Monday) laid out a bold vision for renewing and expanding our transportation infrastructure – in a plan that combines a long-term vision for the future with new investments. A significant portion of the new investments would be front-loaded in the first year.

This plan would build on the investments we have already made under the Recovery Act, create jobs for American workers to strengthen our economy now, and increase our nation’s growth and productivity in the future. At the same time, the plan would reform the way America currently invests in transportation, changing our focus to enhancing competition, innovation, performance, and real analysis that gets taxpayers the best bang for the buck, while moving away from the earmarks and formula debates of the past. In prior years, transportation infrastructure was an issue that both parties worked on together, and the Administration hopes the same can be true now."

In addition to massive dollars for roads and railways, money has been committed to the building of 150 miles of runways (no word as to whether this means new runways or improvements to elder properties), as well as dollars for FAA's long-awaited and heavily touted "Next-Gen" efforts. 

The Administration further notes that it, "...proposes to invest in our nation’s airports by improving their runways and other equipment and facilities. We also propose a robust investment in our effort to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system (NextGen). This investment will help both the FAA and airlines to install new technologies and, among other improvements, move from a national ground-based radar surveillance system to a more accurate satellite-based surveillance system – the backbone of a broader effort to reduce delays for passengers, increase fuel efficiency for carriers, and cut airport noise for those who live and work near airports."

FMI: www.whitehouse.gov