Hollister Municipal Airport will receive more than $794,000 in Federal Aviation Administration funds to help design new taxiway pavement, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla announced earlier this month.
The funds are part of an allocation of $109 million in Federal Aviation Administration grants to airports throughout California. The purpose of the grants is to modernize airport infrastructure, improve safety and strengthen the state’s aviation system, the senators said in a statement.
Fifty-one airports in California will receive a portion of the funds.
“From upgrading runways and taxiways to reducing airport noise and improving passenger facilities, these investments will make airports across California safer and more reliable,” Schiff said in a statement. “I’m proud to help deliver federal funding that will strengthen our transportation infrastructure, create economic opportunities and better serve communities across the Golden State.”
Hollister Municipal Airport will receive $794,087 for design work to reconstruct 9,200 feet of Taxiway A pavement, says the senators’ statement.
The Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) hailed the funding for airports in Hollister, Watsonville and Monterey as a pathway to boosting “economic vitality and resilience, supporting jobs and producing millions of dollars in annual economic output.” The three airports collectively were awarded a total of almost $3.3 million from the FAA grants.
“Investments in our airports are investments in our regional economy,” MBEP President & CEO Tahra Goraya said in a statement. “These new federal grants help our region meet demand for safe, modern and resilient airport facilities as technology and transportation continue to evolve.”
Sen. Padilla added, “California’s airports are critical to the millions of travelers, workers, and goods that keep our economy moving. Investing in this infrastructure means safer runways, shorter delays, and airports built to handle the demands of our growing state. When we modernize our airports, we’re investing directly in jobs, in tourism, and in California’s competitiveness for decades to come.”
