Phoenix City Council OKs Airport Project Funded in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is home to the first City of Phoenix project to benefit from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed late last year by Congress, starting with construction of a long-awaited cross-field taxiway connecting the north and south airfields. The taxiway project was approved April 20th by the Phoenix City Council.

Estimated to cost $260 million, the 2,000-foot taxiway will join the north and south airfields on the west end of the airport, allowing for better aircraft flow for airfield operations. Design has begun on the project and Federal environmental approvals are expected late this summer. Approximately $194 million is anticipated to come from monies set aside by the infrastructure package with the balance being paid from Passenger Facility Charges and airport revenues.

“This airfield project is another step in connecting Phoenix to the world. As one of the first projects for the city identified for delivery under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this new taxiway will reduce aircraft taxi time, improve utilization of all runways, and add capacity for our airline partners,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. “Infrastructure investments like this make our city even more attractive to the global aviation industry including travelers using Sky Harbor.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will also set aside $5 billion over five years in competitive grants for airport terminal projects, along with other competitive grant opportunities for projects that promote sustainability. Some possible projects to support Phoenix Sky Harbor’s increasing passenger traffic could include a second north concourse at Terminal 3, a pedestrian bridge between Terminals 3 and 4, infrastructure improvements at Terminal 4, upgrades to garage lighting, new solar installations, and replacement of fleet vehicles with electric vehicles.

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.