The Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole on Hawaiʻi Island is the recipient of $49.6 million in grant funding from the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration. The funds will be used to rehabilitate Runway 17/35 to enhance safety at the facility.
In January, the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation temporarily shut down operations at the airport to assess cracks on the runway. Transportation officials at the time said the state was scheduled to reconstruct the entire 11,000-foot runway this year, but rains resulted in cracks and accelerated pavement degradation. Asphalt cracks were reported again in April, resulting in another temporary closure.
The FAA is awarding a total of $566.4 million via 296 grants in 47 states to modernize airports as part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program, part of the $25 billion total included in the law for airport and air traffic control infrastructure improvements. The AIG funds can be used for airport planning, development, sustainability, terminal expansions, baggage system upgrades, runway safety enhancements and noise compatibility projects at eligible airports.