Airports get federal grants
HARRISBURG — The Butler County and Zelienople airports will receive a combined $2.6 million in state and federal grants for improvements.
The Butler County Airport in Penn Township will receive $1 million to widen a taxiway and acquire land in a runway protection zone.
Airport manager Ivan Longdon said the taxiway will be widened from 20 feet to 40 feet to meet current standards.
Work on the taxiway, which is about 2,700 feet long, is expected to begin next spring, Longdon said.
The taxiway is the paved path that aircraft use to get from the hangars to the runway.
The airport also is looking to buy about three acres to the west of the airport to add to its runway protection zone.
Of the 15 airports across the state to get funding through the grants, only the Zelienople Airport is getting more money than Butler.
That airport will receive $1.6 million to help finish two long-term developments.
Tom Surgalski, chairman of the airport authority, said the airport has been working for the past couple years to add sewage and water service as well as provide space for private hangars.
The grant will pay for a paved area and access roads for the addition of the hangars.
The addition of public restrooms is something else the airport has needed for a long time, Surgalski said.
He said both projects should be finished by the start of November.
Gov. Tom Corbett on Friday announced the state grants.
The money comes from $5.6 million in state and federal grants aimed at improving 15 airports across the state.
The Federal Aviation Administration is providing $5.4 million.
