The Biden administration is sending close to $1 billion dollars to 144 airports in 44 states and 3 territories, including Omaha and North Platte to upgrade terminal facilities,
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says the $970 million in grants is for improvements to terminals intended to improve the passenger experience and create jobs
The North Platte Airport Authority will receive over $7 million dollars to build a replacement terminal and replace aging infrastructure.
The Omaha Airport Authority, which is already well into a multi-year Terminal Modernization Project, is getting $3.1 million for Phase 7 of the project, which will add up to 5 new passenger boarding bridges at Eppley Airfield.
The funding for the grants comes from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law with Nebraska U-S Senator Deb Fischer one of 19 Republicans senators to vote it.
Fischer said at the time that while not perfect, it would make long-awaited investments to rebuild and develop the nation’s core infrastructure and bring resources for nebraska in key areas including roads, bridges, water, airports, and broadband.
Yesterday, Fischer said the new North Platte and Omaha airport grants are more evidence that “investments from the infrastructure law continue to make a difference for Nebraska travelers.”
Fischer added that “infrastructure is a key responsibility of the federal government, and these grants are great news for Nebraskans who rely on our airports to stay connected.”
Senator Pete Ricketts had blasted the law as governor as a boondoggle, but has now praised 3 sets of grants received for Nebraska projects in the past month, including $351,000 for snow removal equipment at the Chadron airport.
Ricketts said yesterday that “Nebraska’s airports connect communities and grow our economy. Travelers from across our state will benefit from these strategic investments in critical infrastructure.”.