(The Center Square) – The Spokane International Airport Terminal Renovation and Expansion program is the airport’s long-term vision to enhance and expand the terminal facility. That program just got a nearly $23 million dollar boost thanks to federal funds in the form of a Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE, grant.
“This grant was years in the making and will have a tremendous impact on Eastern Washington communities. This funding will help Spokane International Airport improve safety for travelers and employees – on the road and in the air – while also driving the kind of economic opportunities that make our city a place people want to visit,” said Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers in a statement accompanying the announcement of the funding.
Some of the grant monies are going towards improving local infrastructure near airport grounds, not directly into the airport property itself.
One of those instances is Spotted Road, which falls within the runway protection zone for the airport’s primary runway. This does not meet Federal Aviation Administration safety standards.
Senator Patty Murray, also involved in securing the grant, commented on the local infrastructure improvements.
“The Spokane Airport’s Spotted Road is critical for moving people and cargo throughout the airport and for families in nearby communities—but it is also a serious safety concern,” the Democrat said in a statement accompanying the news. “I am so glad that with this grant, the airport will be able to build an overpass to improve safety and provide a safer connection for people in Airway Heights.”
The goal of the project is to reduce the numerous traffic incidents that occur each year on the roads surrounding the airport, many of which involve serious injuries and fatalities.
Spokane County recently ceded some property around the right of way near airport cargo facilities for just this purpose, as previously reported by The Center Square.
These funds will allow that project to move forward.
For more information about upgrades and construction at Spokane International Airport, you can visit the Terminal Remodel and Expansion project site.
More information about this grant can be found on the Department of Transportation’s website.
