Boatload of Money for Airport

From the inbox:

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced that Philadelphia International Airport will receive $724,694 under the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

“The Recovery Act was put in place quickly to rescue the economy from the worst recession since the Great Depression and rebuild it for a stronger future,” said Secretary LaHood. “Rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure is a key part of that prescription for strength. It creates jobs today and builds a better, more sustainable economy moving forward.”

“Through the Recovery Act, we are creating jobs in Philadelphia and across the country while investing in the long-term safety and economic vitality of our airports,” said Secretary LaHood.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will provide $724,694 to the City of Philadelphia for the Philadelphia International Airport to rehabilitate Runway 8R/27L.

The FAA is moving swiftly to work with airport sponsors to ensure that eligible projects have completed or nearly completed, design and planning requirements. Under the ARRA, the FAA received $1.1 billion to provide discretionary grants to qualified airports. That funding has been allocated based on a project priority system that addresses airport safety and security, infrastructure, runway safety, increased capacity, and mitigation of environmental impacts.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has made $48.1 billion available for highway, road, transit, bridge and airport construction and repairs nationwide, including $19 billion that has already been obligated to fund more than 5,300 projects in 55 U.S. states and territories. Currently, more than 1,900 transportation projects, using $6.4 billion in Recovery Act funds are underway across the country.

About 3,400 airports designated as part of the national airport system are eligible to receive ARRA dollars.