Federal money to expand, renovate, and equip Augusta airport

Members of the Aviation Commission learned how two federal grants, first approved by the Augusta-Richmond County Commission, will be used at Augusta Regional Airport.

In all, the grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) total just over $5 million. The grant for the Airport Terminal Program (ATP) is $4 million, the remainder is an Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG).

Herbert Judon, Jr., airport Executive Director, told ABD the funds for the ATP became available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021.

“It was a competitive grant. We were awarded that grant last fall, and the $4 million is for the terminal checkpoint expansion project,” he explained, adding the AIG funds are also covered by the infrastructure law. “This, we get an entitlement every year from the federal government based on the amount of traffic we get here. But this AIG is a double entitlement. We get an additional amount of money, and we’re using that toward the checkpoint expansion as well.”

Elizabeth Giles, Senior Construction Project Manager, told commissioners that work on the TSA checkpoint modernization is ready to move forward. That is based on the latest report from Mead and Hunt, the Wisconsin-based design and engineering firm overseeing the project.

“I would expect in about three to four weeks, you’re going to see actual work breaking ground,” she reported. “We do feel confident that that project, and this is what we have stressed to them, is that we have working lanes, new working lanes for next year, the Masters 2026. It may not be completely finished. They’re hopeful they can, but from an airport perspective, we just want it to be functional. We can make it pretty after just like we did with Gates 3 and 4.”

Ms.Giles standing in photo

Judon said the work will expand the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) from the current two lanes to a four-lane checkpoint.

“We’ve been approved for equipment for a third lane. We’ll physically have four lanes, but we’ve got equipment for three lanes,” he said. “That means more throughput, especially doing Masters, where it’s really beneficial. Then, when and if we grow and get new airlines, it also allows us additional lanes for some of the specialty programs that TSA does, like pre-check. Right now, we kind of integrate pre-check customers into the regular traffic. This will allow for dedicated lanes.”

Judon said the expansion can also help the airlines with their known crew member program, allowing crews a way to bypass.

Giles also brought commissioners an update on the rental car access road improvement project. Rental cars being returned will be funneled to the cargo road, eliminating the need to drive through the terminal road. Members of the Construction/Special Projects Committee approved a work authorization contract of just over $100,000 with Mead and Hunt to begin construction. The contract was then approved by the full commission.

Total cost of the project is just under $590,000. Funds for the project come from the customer facility charge (CFC) collected by the rental car companies.

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