Improvements On the Way for Single-Runway Free Trade Locale

Jackson County Airport Authority officials have announced a raft of improvements to Mississippi's Trent Lott International Airport, drawing on an updated airport layout plan, noise analysis, and roadmap for long-term growth.

Those in the Mississippi region will see Trent Lott International (KPQL) gain about 15,000 square yards of apron space, new frontage for the addition of aircraft hangars, and 2,700 square yards of connecting taxiways. Taxiway connectors should begin this fall and be finished by the end of 2025, if all goes to plan. The field sports a 6,500-foot runway running North-South as Runway 35 and 17, with plenty of room for development all around it. Jackson County Airport Authority says the area is ripe for additional growth, offering a little something for everyone whether they want a new field for pilot training, charter operations, or UAV development.

The project will be funded by a variety of sources, drawing on local airport funds, the FAA's Airport Improvement, and the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States (RESTORE) act. The state will help chip into the pot, too, with money drawn from the Mississippi DOT's Strategic Multi-Modal Investments Fund. It's a little refreshing to see an airport get so much funding and attention from state-level resources, in a time when most every large-scale improvement is seemingly powered by FAA grants alone. The expansion will help bolster growth in the area, as well as provide more room to breathe for local clientele like Chevron, Omega Protein, ERA Helicopters, and Northrop Grumman. Trent Lott is a designated Foreign Trade Zone, offering more than 500 acres of prime industrial and business space for lease.

“The Trent Lott International Airport has long been a tremendous asset, aligning well with our strong industrial and defense infrastructure,” said George Freeland, Executive Director of the Jackson County Economic Development Foundation. “From restoration funding to site development grants, we are grateful to our public partners for directing funding to Jackson County’s aerospace assets like TLIA and look forward to seeing the strong return on these investments, such as the North Apron Expansion project.”

“With the completion of the Airport’s approved Airport Layout Plan, we look forward to using this roadmap for the future growth at Trent Lott International Airport and our continued collaboration with the Jackson County Board of Supervisors and Jackson County Economic Development Foundation,” said Cinnamon Snyder, Airport Director. “With their help and the help of our State and Federal partners, the sky is truly the limit.”

FMI: www.co.jackson.ms.us