Airport Terminal Grants will fund relocation of checkpoint at Sea-Tac, passenger terminal expansion in Spokane, and new terminal building in Pullman
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that three State of Washington airports will receive grants from the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Terminal Program to support infrastructure upgrades and modernization projects. Senator Murray and Senator Cantwell helped secure the funding through the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law.
“The Seattle-Tacoma Airport is a driving force for Western Washington’s economy and plays a critical role in getting people and goods to where they need to be,” said Senator Murray. “These investments will increase accessibility, improve energy efficiency, and make getting through the airport a whole lot easier. As SeaTac continues to grow as a hub for travel and commerce, I will keep working to make sure our airports can deliver world class service and help keep our supply chains strong.”
“Nobody likes waiting in line at the airport,” said Senator Cantwell. “By relocating checkpoint 1 and adding two more screening lanes, Sea-Tac will increase their capacity to screen 940 passengers per hour. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law, this grant will improve the flow of passengers and minimize the likelihood of bottlenecks – ultimately reducing the amount of time spent standing in line for the tens of million travelers who pass through Sea-Tac each year.”
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will receive $16 million to fund relocation of a TSA checkpoint from the upstairs departures area to the downstairs arrival area. The new location is more convenient for passengers who arrive on foot or via bus, and upgrades to elevators will make the checkpoint more accessible. Having a checkpoint on the arrivals level, where departing passengers sometimes get dropped off during peak hours, will help speed people through security and prevent bottlenecks when the airport is at its busiest. Sea-Tac surpassed 50 million passengers in 2019 and is one of the nation’s top ten busiest airports. The grant will fund 65 percent of the anticipated $24.6 million cost of the project.
“From Spokane to Pullman, our airports are absolutely vital to our regional economies and are long overdue for serious investments,” said Senator Murray. “That’s why I worked so hard when we were passing the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law to include the Airport Terminal Program to help modernize airports across the state. These investments are going to help passengers get to where they need to be, and strengthen our supply chains as we work to move goods as quickly as possible at the lowest possible costs.”
“Spokane County is growing ten times faster than the national average, and Eastern Washington is rapidly expanding. In order to continue attracting businesses and workers, the transportation infrastructure must keep up,” said Senator Cantwell. “This funding from the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law will allow both Spokane International Airport and Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport to add capacity at their terminals, resulting in more flights to and from the region and better service for the traveling public.”
Spokane International Airport will receive $15 million to fund the facility’s terminal expansion and renovation (TREX) project. The grant will fund Phase 5 construction of the Concourse C project, covering items like flooring, ceilings, paneling, and doors. When complete, the project will add six additional ticket counters and three additional gates at Concourse C. Overall, the TREX project is expected to create 1,605 jobs and $293 million in economic impact. The additional capacity is much-needed — Spokane International Airport saw enplanements grow 38 percent between 2013 and 2019. Work on Concourse C has been underway since October 2022, and the total cost of the TREX project is estimated at $149.7 million.
Pullman-Moscow International Airport will receive $6.365 million to augment its planned terminal building project. The funding will allow the airport to build a third boarding bridge, rather than the two they can afford at current funding levels, and a third boarding gate. The added capacity will allow the airport to operate more than one flight per hour. The total cost of the third boarding bridge is estimated at $6.7 million. In addition to an $11.8 million Airport Terminal Grant from FY22, Pullman-Moscow International Airport has now received $74.3 Million in federal funding to build the terminal, supporting infrastructure, and aircraft parking apron.
Last year, Senators Murray and Cantwell worked hard to secure funding for air travel infrastructure nationwide as part of the Biden-Harris Infrastructure Law. With their support, the infrastructure package provided a total of $25 billion for airport improvements, including $5 billion for the Airport Terminal Program, $5 billion for Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control facilities, and $15 billion in Airport Infrastructure Grants. In addition, Senators Murray and Cantwell also helped to secure over $217 million in Airport Rescue Grants of Washington airports to help weather the COVID 19 pandemic.
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