Date:  Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Contact: Eric Johnson, Airport Construction Project Manager, 360-651-6303

ARLINGTON - The Washington State Department of Transportation announced the award of $900,000 in Local Airport Aid grant funds to 35 airports, accounting for 41 different projects. This is the first round of airport grants that WSDOT has awarded during the 2009 – 2011 biennium.

Despite a significant projected decline in aviation revenues, WSDOT's Aviation program was able to use approximately $288,682 to leverage $11.2 million in federal funds, bringing the combined state, local and federal grand total to more than $12.6 million.

Funding Breakdown

• State:    $900,721
• Federal:  $11,266,360
• Local:     $464,467
• Total:      $12,630,548

WSDOT awarded airport grants in the following areas:

• Pavement - 87 percent
• Safety - 9 percent  
• Maintenance, Planning, and Other - 3 percent 
• Security - .5 percent 

Exact grant amounts are subject to change according to final project bid totals.

WSDOT's grant program is funded through an 11-cent-per gallon fee on aviation fuel, along with aircraft registration fees.

WSDOT anticipates awarding a similar amount during its second round of 2009-2011 Local Airport Aid grants in April 2010. The department will solicit applications for that round during February and March 2010.

A complete list of 2009-2011 projects is available at:  www.wsdot.wa.gov/aviation/Grants/GrantRecipients.htm

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