Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Cities of Pullman and Moscow donate $4 million
An engineer's design of the renovations
PULLMAN - The Washington State University (WSU) and the University of Idaho (UoI) are donating $1 million for a new terminal at the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport.
The two universities pledged the money following donations from the cities of Moscow and Pullman. WSU is contributing $600,000. UoI is pledging $400,000. The cities of Pullman and Moscow each contributed $2 million.
The new terminal is projected to cost $61 million, with $51 million coming from federal funding.
"Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport is a key gateway that connects the Palouse to the broader world. It is essential that we help the airport continue to grow into a modern facility capable of helping support the varied transportation needs of our university and the regions we serve," WSU President Kirk Schulz said.
Travel demands among students, faculty, staff, visiting scholars, and alumni are increasing.
Between 2009 and 2019, the number of passengers traveling through the airport increased by 133%, from 30,128 to more than 70,000, according to a WSU spokesperson.
"Access to quality and affordable travel options for our students and their families is critical," UoI President Scott Green said. "Starting with the runway project and the expansion of flights, the improvements to our local airport make our area even more attractive to students."
The airport is improving the runway to accommodate larger aircraft and meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.
"A modernized passenger terminal is vital for this region," airport board Chair and Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson said. "I'm very grateful for our community partners stepping up to support this effort."
Bill Stevenson is the former editor of the Whitman County Gazette, Colfax Daily Bulletin and Franklin Connection. He has nearly 30 years of journalism experience covering news in Eastern Washington.
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