Three of the local airports serving Los Angeles County earlier this month received a cumulative total of more than $44 million in infrastructure grants from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The grants were part of a massive $1.8 billion round in grants distributed to airports in 46 states that the FAA announced on July 2.
The largest local grant was $27 million for reconstruction of a 4,200-foot taxiway at Long Beach Airport, about 90% of the total cost of the Taxiway F reconstruction project. Construction is set to last about 13 months.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, a former mayor of the city, welcomed the news about the grant.
“Investing in the airport is very important to me and the community,” Garcia said in an Instagram post. “Glad to see these investments in the (taxiway).”
Burbank projects
Next was $10 million towards the demolition of the existing terminal and a parking structure at Hollywood Burbank Airport. The demolition, which is expected to cost $24.4 million overall, is set to take place after the $1.3 billion replacement terminal project wraps up and the new terminal opens in October.
One of the reasons for the replacement terminal was that the existing terminal was deemed by the FAA to be too close to the runway, giving too little room for error in plane landings.
Finally, Ontario International Airport is set to receive $7.3 million in this round of FAA funding for reconstruction of about 2,200 feet of Runway 8L/26R. This follows $10.8 million that the agency granted last September for this and other runway upgrade projects.
Ontario International Airport completed a $90 million runway rehabilitation project in 2024.
