Georgia to receive millions for airport upgrades
(The Center Square) — Georgia is poised to receive $120 million for airport infrastructure upgrades across the state as part of the fiscal 2024 Airport Infrastructure Grant program, a federal lawmaker from Georgia said.
The money was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which some call the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Georgia’s airports are a key driver of job creation and economic competitiveness,” U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, said in a statement.
According to FAA numbers, the feds initially made more than $123.2 million available in fiscal 2022 and nearly the same amount in fiscal 2023 to the Peach State. In fiscal 2024, the state is slated to receive nearly $120.5 million.
Under the fiscal 2024 grants, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will receive more than $88.8 million. The feds are sending the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport more than $5.9 and Augusta Regional Airport more than $2.6 million.
Federal taxpayers sent Hartsfield-Jackson more than $90.9 million in fiscal 2022, slightly less than the $92.5 million initially available. In fiscal 2023, the FAA made $92.2 million available for the world’s busiest airport, but FAA numbers indicate that the agency did not announce any awards for Hartsfield-Jackson under the program.
Airports can generally use the money to upgrade runways and taxiways, improve airport safety, improve airport transit connections and undertake roadway projects.
“ATL is grateful to receive this funding that will be applied to our multi-billion dollar ATLnext project list,” a Hartsfield-Jackson spokesperson told The Center Square in an email. “The AIG FY24 funds will be applied to the domestic terminal power distribution replacement project, the central passenger terminal restroom Phase I upgrade, and upgrades to the central preconditioned air project on concourse A, B, E, and T.”
According to the FAA, fiscal 2024 marks the third consecutive year the agency has doled out nearly $2.9 billion to airports nationwide. The agency said nearly $9 billion has been allocated under the grant program.
