County airports receive grants

COLFAX - On Nov. 5, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure law which along with the Airport Improvement Program funded improvements at 37 airports across Washington in 2023, allotting $73,527,274 to Eastern Washington Airport projects, including the Port of Whitman Business Air Center Airport and Pullman/Moscow Regional Airport.

A total of $8,410,206 in grants went to the Pullman/Moscow Regional Airport Gate. The boarding bridge for the new terminal received $6,365,000 in funds, and the construction terminal building, environmental mitigation, and airport infrastructure grant was $1,045,206. The airport also received a $1,000 airport improvement grant to construct the terminal.

Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport Executive Director Tony Bean said that everybody has got BIL funds, and that they receive funds every year.

Bean said the bill funds from last years approximated a million dollars in airport improvement grant funds, adding that it is a competitive program.

"We were fortunate to get selected in two rounds, and it totaled $11.7 the first year and $6.3 million the second," Bean said, noting that they received regular entitlement funds as well as the FAA and then all of coronavirus relief funds or CARES fund.

Bean added that the CARES fund has to be spent by June of this year.

According to past reports, the terminal project costs approximately $90 million, with $75 million from the federal government, including coronavirus relief funds.

Bean confirmed the project's cost of $90 million, noting that this includes the whole terminal program, including the parking lot and building, as well as three parking bridges.

The terminal will feature three gates and is approximately six times larger than the size of the current terminal, officials said.

The new terminal will also incorporate a special check-in area for Washington State University, University of Idaho, and visiting sports teams.

Outgoing City of Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson said in a previous article with the Gazette that the terminal is going from an 8000 square foot terminal built for 18 to 36 passengers.

Johnson said the terminal has been underway, and the architect and the construction crew have been working. "Terrific funding from our federal help," he said, noting that several in Congress have backed the project.

Bean said that they've got a runway and a taxiway that's all brand new and they're going to start a planning a process to see where everything belongs. "It has to be on a plan for you to be able to build it. The airport is in that stage where we need to be doing some planning," he said, noting that the project is moving along quick and will be open in May.

The Port of Whitman Business Air Center was awarded during 2023 a $308,934 grant for installing an airport beacon, an airport infrastructure grant of $26,000, and a $150,000 improvement grant to install the airport beacon.

According to a past press release from the Port of Whitman, the beacon project finished the first phase in August.

During August 2023, the project Manager and Engineer at Century West Engineering, Greg Reince, told the Gazette that the existing beacon is mounted on a hangar, making it challenging to service or maintain.

"They have to get a lift truck to get to the existing beacon," Reince said.

Reince stated that the existing beacon will remain in place until the new one arrives this summer, "there won't be an interruption of the beacon," adding that once the new one is installed, they will remove the existing one.

The new beacon will be attached to a tip-down pole that one person can quickly raise and lower, allowing for on-ground maintenance.

Executive Director of the Port of Whitman Kara Riebold said that the process to get those funds is more adminisitrative. "They have been very easy to access and has helped with maintenance projects and finishing the beacon project," Riebold said.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said that in 2023, 37 airports across the State of Washington received a total of nearly $200 million in federal funding to add capacity for more flights, modernize aging facilities, and improve the overall experience of travelers coming in and out of the state.

"The benefits of these investments can also be felt far beyond our airports-stronger air service translates to economic growth, high-paying jobs, and increased connectivity between our rural and urban communities," said Sen. Cantwell.

"Airports are essential to getting people where they need to go-and when our airports lack the capacity, infrastructure, or technology to serve passengers efficiently, it can cause major headaches and delays," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.