FAA gives Duluth airport $6 million for new terminal, runway design (newspaper article)
Dan Hoehn
09/11/2008
The Federal Aviation Administration will grant $6 million to the
Duluth International Airport for terminal and runway designs, the
agency announced today.
The crosswind runway designs will cost about $4.2 million, and the new
terminal designs will cost about $1.8 million.
The grant will cover initial design costs for the estimated $60
million improvement project, which is planned to be completed as early
as 2012.
The terminal project will cost about $40 million, with $20 million on
the runway and other infrastructure projects.
The 35-year-old terminal has been ruled obsolete by current FAA
guidelines for passenger screening and proper space between airplanes
at the terminal and on the runway.
“The new facility will be more efficient,” said Brian Ryks, the
executive director of the Duluth Airport Authority. “It will be a
great front door for our city and our region.”
The new terminal will be built on the site of the current parking lot
and the current terminal will be demolished.
According to Ryks, the remaining funding will likely come from the FAA
($25-30 million), state bonding ($15-20 million) and Airport Authority
bonds and trust fund ($5-10 million).