Iowa Transportation Commission approves FY2021 State Aviation Program
AMES, Iowa – Aug. 17, 2020 – The Iowa Transportation Commission today approved $4.8 million for the fiscal year 2021 State Aviation Program, which includes several subprograms detailed below.
The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) will fund $3 million for a variety of aviation safety initiatives, system planning, and air service development activities. It will also provide funding for airport development projects at eight airports in Iowa. Eligible AIP projects include runway, taxiway, and apron development; fuel systems; navigational aids; maintenance of aviation weather systems; runway marking; windsocks; emergency operational repairs; land-use planning; air service initiatives; and the mitigation of obstruction and wildlife hazards at airports. The AIP program is funded with revenue from aircraft registration fees and aviation fuel taxes.
Aviation vertical infrastructure programs will provide $1.8 million for projects at 12 general aviation airports and eight commercial service airports throughout Iowa. These programs provide funding for the maintenance and development of airport facilities, such as terminal buildings, maintenance facilities, and aviation hangars. Vertical infrastructure programs are funded from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund.
Funding for the State Aviation Program is down from $7.6 million in the previous year as fuel tax revenues and available funding from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. Planning, Programming and Modal Division Director Stuart Anderson notes, “Revenue decreases leave a shortfall for good aviation projects. The Iowa DOT is closely monitoring recovery in the aviation segment and will work with the Iowa Transportation Commission to make program adjustments as necessary to best target investment to the most critical aviation needs.”
The State Aviation Program supplements local and federal funding sources and seeks to maintain a safe and effective statewide air transportation system. Details on the State Aviation Program funding can be viewed at https://iowadot.gov/aviation/airport-managers-and-sponsors/State-Funding/state-funding-programs
Additional information regarding aviation in Iowa is available at www.iowadot.gov/aviation.
#
Contact: Shane Wright, Iowa DOT’s aviation program manager, at 515-239-1048 or [email protected]