North Dakota Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), a member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee, announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded $15,157,068 to support critical multi-phase infrastructure improvements at Grand Forks International Airport, including the reconstruction and upgrade of the primary runway and taxiway pavement and lighting that have reached the end of their useful life. The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant funds a portion of the reconstruction of the airport’s primary runway, which will be completed in three phases. The overall project is currently estimated to cost $60 million, with a federal funding share of nearly $40 million. Construction is expected to take place from 2026 through 2028.
The Grand Forks International Airport is currently in the middle of a multi-year airport expansion and development project that will ultimately improve safety and increase capacity to support flight training activity by the University of North Dakota (UND), as well as commercial air service. Grand Forks Airport will be able to maintain full commercial flight operations and UND flight training operations while the primary runway is reconstructed due to the completion of the 5-year, $70 million reconstruction and extension of the crosswind runway last fall. In addition to primary runway reconstruction, the FAA will soon begin construction on a new air traffic control tower at Grand Forks International Airport. The FAA plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) within the next two months, and this project will be fully funded by the FAA.
“Grand Forks International Airport consistently ranks as one of the top 25 busiest airports in the country due to the dynamic and growing economy in the Grand Forks region and the world-leading aviation school at the University of North Dakota. We are working to ensure our airport infrastructure can meet air service demand now and into the future,” said Hoeven. “We set the stage for the reconstruction of the primary runway with our work to secure more than $50 million in federal funding for the crosswind runway, which we completed last fall. These efforts in Grand Forks build upon our work across the state to expand our airports in line with the strong economic growth we’ve supported over the past two decades.”
