Federal Grants To Spruce Up Airports In Chandler, Statewide

By Mariana Dale
Published: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 - 5:01pm
Updated: Tuesday, August 7, 2018 - 5:43pm
(Image courtesy the City of Chandler)
The Chandler Airport is the take-off and landing point for thousands of business, sightseeing and training flights every year.

The Federal Aviation Administration is awarding Chandler a grant of up to $3.7 million dollars to repave parts of the city’s airport.

“The pavement they are seeking the grant for is on our ‘Grand Central Station,’” said Chris Andres, the Chandler Airport administrator. “It’s one of the busiest parts of airport in terms of aircraft circulation. And it’s some of our most heavily used pavement.”

Andres says the project will repave 91,000 square yards of what is essentially the airport’s parking lot for planes.

The grant will pay for 91 percent of the project, with state and local funding making up the remainder.

“Small airports like Chandler are reliant on Federal Aviation capital grants for new construction for new airport facilities, and most of that is typically pavement,” Andres said.

The project is scheduled to begin this fall and be completed by the end of 2019.

The Chandler Airport is the take-off and landing point for thousands of business, sightseeing and training flights every year.

The city is working to encourage economic development in the area around the airport.

The FAA announced more than two dozen grants for Arizona airports in July, including Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport and airports on the San Carlos Apache reservation and in the Grand Canyon.