Missoula Current: Tester: Missoula airport to receive $3.4M in FY22 infrastructure funding; Glacier $2.8M

Airports across Montana will receive roughly $28 million in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration this fiscal year from the recently passed infrastructure bill.

Sen. Jon Tester this week said the funding will be distributed to 69 state airports, including $3.4 million to the Missoula Montana Airport and $2.8 million to Glacier Park International Airport.

“Montana’s airports are essential to keeping our state connected and our economy strong,” Tester said in a statement. “This funding from my bipartisan infrastructure package will ensure that our airports can make urgently needed repairs, continue to grow and support Montana travel, and create good paying jobs in the process.”

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included a total of $144 million for the state’s airports. The funding will be awarded over five years through FAA grants and can be used to build or repair runways and taxiways, and make terminal and gate improvements.

The Missoula Montana Airport is midway through a redevelopment project that carries a cost estimated at around $100 million. The first phase of that, dubbed the south concourse, will include four new gates and security, and is expected to open early next year.

The airport is now turning its attention to Phase 2, which includes the demolition of the old airport and the construction of a new east concourse, which also will include three of four new gates. The airport has been working out its funding estimates and plans to have a timeline in the coming months.

“Hopefully we’ll see some settling out of material prices,” deputy airport director Tim Damrow said recently. “What this will potentially give us is a full price to build out the east concourse so we can make a fully informed decision on what the actual building is going to cost.”

The infrastructure bill also includes $2.8 billion for Montana’s roads, highways and bridges, and $42.4 billion for broadband deployment. The measure also requires that all iron, steel and construction materials used for projects must be made in America.

https://missoulacurrent.com/business/2021/12/missoula-airport-funding/