Asheville Regional Airport Awarded $10 million DOT Grant for Runway Redevelopment

Asheville, NC – April 16, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — The Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority has been awarded a $10 million grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation for use towards its ongoing airfield redevelopment project.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will distribute the funding, which will be used for the second phase of a four-year project that will result in the construction of a new runway and a west-side taxiway.

“I’m grateful that DOT once again recognized the important role the Asheville Regional Airport plays in the Western North Carolina region. Having a modernized runway will enable the airport to better serve travelers and support economic development in the region for years to come,” Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC) said.

The current runway is more than 50 years old. Over the years, the pavement has had to be resurfaced numerous times. The FAA has prioritized the construction of a new runway – to bring the airfield in Asheville up to the most current construction standards.

“As we enter the second phase of our four-phase airfield redevelopment project, I commend Congressman Meadows for his continued recognition and support of the importance of Asheville Regional Airport to the western North Carolina region,” said Lew Bleiweis, A.A.E., Asheville Regional Airport executive director. “The temporary runway will be complete by the end of this year, which will allow us to move forward with demolition of our original runway and to build a new runway that will serve this region for decades to come.”

The total cost of the project during its four-year duration will be $64 million, with 100 percent of the costs to be covered by FAA, NCDOT and airport funds intended for airport infrastructure improvement.

Congressman Meadows (R-NC) serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation.