Ruppersberger Announces Federal Funds for Critical Safety Improvements at BWI Airport

Grant will help streamline passenger travel and improve conditions for ground personnel

 
(Hanover, MD) – Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) today joined federal and state transportation officials in announcing $15 million in federal funds for massive safety improvements to the tarmac at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.  The 30-year-old tarmac is long overdue for safety improvements and the upgrades will help planes move easier to and from the terminal. Ultimately, the project should mean smoother travels for airline passengers.
 
BWI received a $15 million federal grant from the Federal Aviation Administration under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding is part of a larger $36.7 million remodeling project that supported 36 full-time jobs in its first year of construction. Airport officials said the funding will permit up to 200 workers who have experience at BWI to stay there.

The project also includes upgrades to the airport’s utility systems including gas and electricity, which are located beneath the pavement that is being reconstructed, as well as an environmentally-friendly way to collect hazardous fluids used to keep ice off the tarmac.

“BWI is one of Maryland’s most vital economic engines, supporting nearly 100,000 jobs and generating more than $5 billion in business revenues each year,” Congressman Ruppersberger said. “This project is about investing in our state’s future and preserving those jobs for years to come. Rebuilding the airport’s fundamental organs – the tarmac – will lead to safer working conditions for ground crews and happier passengers.”