The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids has received a $6 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Terminal Program (ATP) to fund improvements to the airport’s baggage handling system.
The grant was announced by the FAA Monday, May 18.
The improvements are needed “due to an increase in demand” at the Eastern Iowa Airport, and are designed “to enhance the family travel experience,” according to the award’s description.
Through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a total of $5 billion has been allocated – $1 billion annually from 2022-2026 – to provide competitive grants for airport terminal development projects that address the aging infrastructure of the nation’s airports.
The grants provide funding for safe, sustainable and accessible airport terminals, airport-owned airport traffic control towers, and on-airport rail and bus projects that improve multimodal connections, ensuring a safe and seamless travel experience for families across the U.S., according to the FAA.
Other ATP grants to Iowa airports include:
- $6 million to the Des Moines International for the expansion and reconstruction of the existing passenger terminal, including up to four additional gates to meet ADA requirements and increase energy efficiency.
- $1 million to the Fort Dodge Regional Airport for terminal modernization, including a family restroom, a mother’s room and a holding area to “improve the family travel experience.”
- $2.75 million to the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport in Burlington for the expansion and reconstruction of the terminal, including expansion of the hold room and additional restrooms to meet ADA requirements and to increase energy efficiency to “enhance the family travel experience.”
