WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mark Pryor and John Boozman, along with Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-1), Steve Womack (AR-3), and Mike Ross (AR-4) today announced that five Arkansas airports will receive a combined $1,644,504 in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants for new construction and improvement at their facilities.

“Local airports are critical to the economic development of a city, attracting businesses and providing convenient travel options for residents,” Pryor said. “These federal funds will help local airports improve and expand to better serve Arkansas’s travelers and businesses.”

“These investments are important to expanding economic development in Arkansas. This infrastructure spending will help bring more jobs and businesses to our state,” Boozman said.

“As we continue efforts to grow Arkansas’s economy and put people back to work, local airports can provide a link to developing economic opportunities. The construction and improvements funded with these federal dollars will be a boost for job creators in our state,” Crawford said.

In the Third District, Womack noted important taxiway work at the Clarksville and Rogers airports: “These much-needed funds will be utilized at both airports for important taxiway projects.  In Clarksville, construction of a separate taxiway will prevent the need for airplanes to back-taxi on the runway.  In Rogers, Carter Field continues to be one of the busiest general aviation facilities in America and rehabilitation of the taxiway is long overdue."

“Our local airports connect communities all across Arkansas to the world and help sustain economic development throughout the region,” said Ross.  “These federal investments will help make the necessary infrastructure and safety improvements to keep these airports open and these communities growing.”

Airports receiving funding are as follows:

• Carlisle- Carlisle Municipal Airport: The city of Carlisle will receive $157,500 to rehabilitate the runway at Carlisle Municipal Airport.  The rehabilitation of the runway is needed to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris on the runway.
• Clarksville- Clarksville Municipal Airport: The city of Clarksville will receive $545,835 to construct a taxiway at Clarksville Municipal Airport.  The taxiway will eliminate the need for aircraft to back-taxi on the runway.
• Pine Bluff- Grider Field Airport: The city of Pine Bluff will receive $254,034 to rehabilitate the existing taxiway at Grider Field Airport.  The existing taxiway has reached the end of its useful life.
• Rogers- Rogers Municipal-Carter Field: The city of Rogers will receive $141,300 to rehabilitate the taxiway at Rogers Municipal-Carter Field that has reached the end of its useful life.
• Warren- Warren Municipal Airport: The city of Warren will receive $545,835 to construct a taxiway at the Warren Municipal Airport.  The taxiway will eliminate the need for aircraft to back-taxi on the runway.