The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids has received a $3.6 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Terminal Program for the construction of a new baggage handling control system for the airport’s expanded terminal.
The award was announced Oct. 22 by Sen. Chuck Grassley.
The Airport Terminal Program was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2021, which authorized $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending nationwide.
“Iowa’s airports facilitate high-volume passenger travel and move our world-class products to market,” Mr. Grassley said in a release. “Keeping our airports in top shape ensures travelers’ safety and strengthens our local economy. I supported the bipartisan infrastructure law with Iowans in mind, and I’m glad our state continues to see significant returns on that investment.”
Pam Hinman, the Eastern Iowa Airport’s director of marketing and communications, said the grant will be used to help fund the design and construction of a new outbound baggage handling system for the airport. She said the current system was installed in early 2012, and the new system will replace that aging infrastructure, providing “a newer, more efficient system for passengers and the airlines.”
With the increased numbers of passengers choosing CID, the airport needs a system that allows for increased capacity,” Ms. Hinman said.
The grant will not fund the entire project, according to Ms. Hinman, and the exact cost of the new system is yet to be determined.
Estimates call for construction of the new system to begin in the late summer of 2025.
