BLACKSBURG – A little over one million dollars in federal funding will soon be used to expand the runway at Virginia Tech/Montgomery Executive Airport.
The Virginia Tech/Montgomery Executive Airport is made up of four entities Virginia Tech, Montgomery County, and the towns of Christiansburg and Blacksburg. Expansion will increase annual flights from 18,000 to 26,000.
The $1,021,000 in federal funding is from the United States Department of Transportation and will fund a 1,000-foot runway extension .
“We’re excited to announce this funding to expand runway 12/30 so that the airport can better serve the needs of local residents, businesses, and the Virginia Tech community,” said U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) in a joint statement.
“The runway extension to be funded by the DOT grant will ensure a safer, more efficient Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport,” said Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA). “This $1,021,000 grant will support infrastructure for the airport to better serve the region’s needs and facilitate local economic development.”
The funding was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program, which supports infrastructure improvement projects at airports across the country, including the construction and rehabilitation of runways, taxiways, and aprons.a
“The Department has been investing heavily in our nation’s airport infrastructure, which will strengthen economic growth and create jobs in communities across the country,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.
– Heather Bell
