Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a couple of projects at the Manassas Regional Airport can now get started.
The Manassas City Council recently accepted a $3.4 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for improvements to the airport's east apron which is aging and in disrepair, said airport director Juan Rivera.
"It's riddled with cracks with grass growing up in between the cracks," Rivera said. "It's starting to chip away."
The chipping creates debris that can be kicked up and damage aircraft.
The grant, which will pay for 100 percent of the project, was a watershed, Rivera said.
"We frankly were not expecting to get any money this year for this project, but the good news is that we have gotten word that we will receive the grant," Rivera said.
The project has been planned for four years.
"This project has been designed and has been sitting on the shelf waiting to be built, but there has been no funding," Rivera said.
The city council also voted to accept a $42,643 FAA grant to build a road that connects the east and west sides of the airport that will allow airport fuel trucks and service vehicles to move from one side of the airport to the other without crossing active runways.
An additional $28,429 from the airport fund, along with additional money from the state, will be used to complete the road, Rivera said.
No money from the city's general fund will go toward either of the projects, Rivera said. Construction should begin in April and be completed by mid-July 2010.
The grants will put the airport back on schedule for all its construction projects, Rivera said.
Manassas Bureau Chief Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.
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