Tyler

By GREG JUNEK
Business Editor

Tyler will receive a $279,684 grant for airport runway improvements through the Federal Aviation Administration, Sen. John Cornyn announced.

"These funds will be used to address needed maintenance and safety improvements for Tyler Pounds Regional Airport and East Texas Regional Airport," Cornyn said. "In addition, quality transportation services are important for boosting local economic growth. I commend the area leaders who worked to secure this funding."

Davis Dickson, Tyler airport manager, said the grant was unexpected.

"This is an additional grant, over what we had applied for the first time, so this is really good news," Dickson said. "We were hopeful to see another grant come through. There had been a freeze on about 25 percent of airport entitlement funds. ... We weren't really sure when an announcement would be made, but we're happy that it has been made."

The previous grant to which he referred was a $2.85 million grant secured to fund a tree-clearing project for runway visibility zone improvements and to fund the final phase of the airport's perimeter road project.

Some monies from that grant were also to be directed toward the design of the runway improvement project.

"The intent of this grant is to continue the funding of the project that the FAA is really interested in in Tyler, and that is for design work for our runway safety area project on Runway 4-22," Dickson said. The time the design work will be started will be determined by some of the environmental reviews being conducted now.

Tyler will be required to put up a 5 percent grant match, or $14,720, Dickson said.

"The city is getting a lot of good work on this for a small percentage of local share," he said. "We want to make sure and put it to work right away."

Gregg County will receive $258,394 for East Texas Regional Airport to use to expand its aircraft parking apron to meet parking needs, Cornyn's office reported.