Regional Airport Gets $3.4 Million Grant

Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport will use a $3.4 million grant to repay money spent on the terminal expansion, taxiway work and planning, officials said Tuesday.

“It’s all entitlement money based on the number of passengers who come through the airport,” said Kelly Johnson, airport manager.

Johnson said the application for the grant was made some time ago but the recent federal government sequestration and earlier problems passing a transportation bill delayed its approval.

Johnson said $2.5 million will be used to reimburse the airport for money spent to build a new concourse and make improvements to existing parts of the terminal.

The new concourse cost $21 million to build. It opened Sept. 1, 2011. More than 90 percent of the cost is being reimbursed by the federal government. Officials expect they will receive one more reimbursement check for about $1.3 million.

The concourse features a sit-down restaurant, gift shops, convenience items and newsstands. Other travel-friendly amenities include work stations, family restrooms, plug-ins for electronic devices, free wi-fi and the state’s first moving walkway.

Around $575,000 will be used to add two more lanes to the taxiway serving the new concourse, Johnson said. The improvement will allow bigger airplanes to access the back side of the concourse.

Another $500,000 will be used to update the airport’s master plan and identify future growth and development needs.

Finally, $183,000 will be used to buy a new sweeper truck to keep the airfield clear.

“We’ve added a lot of pavement out here,” Johnson said.

Third District Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, and U.S. Sens. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., and John Boozman, R-Ark., announced the grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday.

“As Northwest Arkansas continues to grow, the infrastructure must be able to sustain the region’s rapid transformation,” Boozman said in a news release. “This grant will help move the recent expansion at XNA, which has already improved efficiency and safety for travelers, to the next level and, in turn, bring additional economic development to the area.”

Womack noted the airport served more than 1.1 million passengers last year and said the improvements will make travel easier and more enjoyable for the growing number of travelers who visit Northwest Arkansas for business and, more recently, for leisure.

“Anyone who has flown in or out of Northwest Arkansas knows that XNA is a top-notch airport — whether it’s the facilities, safety, or efficiency,” Pryor said. “Today’s grant will allow the airport to build on this momentum. I look forward to helping XNA as they continue to expand and meet the growing needs of Northwest Arkansas.”

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