FEDERAL FUNDING – Congressman John Salazar (left) is a certified pilot and has flown in-and-out of many of the different airfields across Colorado’s Third Congressional district. He announced on Friday that seven rural Colorado airports will receive federal funding for repairs. (Courtesy photo)
According to a July 16 press release, the Montrose Regional Airport will receive $710,406 in federal funding to expand its passenger terminal building. The expansion will provide additional space for passenger queuing areas, hold rooms, and central waiting rooms thereby alleviating congestion during peak travel periods.
Nucla’s Hopkins Field will receive $9,500 to rehabilitate its runway, which will extend the useful life of the pavement and thereby preserve the capacity of the airport.
The Cortez Municipal Airport was also one of the rural airports selected to receive federal funding. The grant will provide $1,309,939 to improve a runway, which will provide resistance to jet-blast erosion, storm water runoff erosion and accommodate the passage of maintenance and emergency equipment.
“Airports, particularly airports like those across rural Colorado, are truly lifelines to the world,” said Salazar, who himself is a certified pilot and has flown in and out of many different airfields across Colorado’s Third Congressional district.
“They are our links to commerce, travel and our families and it’s my responsibility to make sure that federal funding is used to keep those lifelines strong. Access to air travel is a vital part of our region’s economic future.”
Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, Craig-Moffat County Airport, Yampa Valley Regional Airport, and Perry Stokes Airport in Trinidad, Colo., were also selected to receive funding for various repairs and improvements.
“I hope the improvements to the Montrose, Aspen, Craig, Yampa Valley, Trinidad, Cortez and Nucla airports will make our airfields safer, more efficient and more accessible to folks living in and visiting Colorado,” said Salazar.
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