$3.1m grant for Tennessee airport

Tennessee state officials yesterday announced a $3.1 million grant for Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Sullivan County.

The grant, from the Aeronautics Division of the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), will be used for the acquisition of around 13 acres of land for the construction of a new taxiway.

The funds have also been earmarked for the purchase of new aircraft boarding equipment, for terminal and air carrier ramp reconstruction, and for a runway safety area study.

Phil Bredesen, Governor of Tennessee, said that the grant was crucial for maintaining the growth of the airport.

"Our airports are a vital piece of Tennessee's transportation network. I can't stress enough the importance of not only maintaining these facilities, but also making sure they can continue to serve the changing needs of their communities."

Representative Nathan Vaughan commented: "I am pleased to see Governor Bredesen and TDOT providing these funds for improvements at Tri-Cities Regional Airport. The airport is vital to both businesses and travelers in this region and it is critical that we keep it up to date."

The new grant is a great increase from last year's award of just over $1 million for capital projects.

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