20 Arkansas airports to receive $14 million in federal grants

Arkansas airports were awarded $14.83 million in federal grant money on Friday (Aug. 9), according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) in Highfill will receive $3.88 million to support a project to build a new control tower.

The money comes from the newest round of 2024 Airport Improvement Program grants awarded by the agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The grants pay for various projects to improve runways, airfields and airport facilities. On Friday, the FAA awarded $636.05 million to airports in 46 states and the American Samoa.

“From passenger travel to cargo operations, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to make our aviation system safer, more accessible and more resilient through initiatives like the Airport Improvement Program,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Thanks to this latest round of funding, passengers across the country will benefit as we make airports from Rhode Island to American Samoa more modern and efficient.”

This was the fourth round of Airport Improvement Program grants for the 2024 fiscal year. So far, the FAA has awarded $1.13 billion in Airport Improvement Program grants in the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.

The XNA grant money will support the project to build a new air traffic control tower. With the new grant, the project has received more than $11 million in grants and federal money. The 141-foot-tall tower is being built by Crossland Construction and is expected to be completed next year.

Following are the 19 other airports to receive the money.
• Carroll County in Berryville: $418,435 to expand apron.
• Z M Jack Stell Field in Crossett: $1.05 million to construct taxiway.
• J Lynn Helms Sevier County in De Queen: $388,656 to construct a taxi lane.
• Billy Free Municipal in Dumas: $155,655 to reseal apron and taxiway pavement.
• Drake Field in Fayetteville: $240,210 to extend and expand taxiway.
• Memorial Field in Hot Springs: $558,485 to rehabilitate runway and its lighting and markings.
• Jonesboro Municipal in Jonesboro: $141,300 to extend and expand runway.
• Ralph C Weiser Field in Magnolia: $218,044 to reconstruct taxiway lighting.
• Manila Municipal in Manila: $299,444 to reconstruct taxiway lighting and rehabilitate runway lighting.
• Monticello Municipal/Ellis Field in Monticello: $316,566 to reseal apron and taxiway pavement
• Morrilton Municipal in Morrilton: $318,277 to construct an airport lighting vault, install taxiway lighting, and reconstruct runway and taxiway lighting.
• Bearce in Mount Ida: $924,474 to rehabilitate runway and reseal taxiway pavement.
• Baxter County in Mountain Home: $100,043 to reconstruct runway visual guidance system.
• Osceola Municipal in Osceola: $525,079 to construct terminal access road.
• Pine Bluff Regional/Grider Field in Pine Bluff: $2.08 million to rehabilitate runway.
• Russellville Regional in Russellville: $165,007 to reconstruct apron.
• Sheridan-Grant County Regional in Sheridan: $246,082 to reseal and resurface runway pavement.
• Springdale Municipal in Springdale: $606,559 to reseal and resurface runway pavement.
• Texarkana Regional-Webb Field in Texarkana: $2.18 million to construct apron.