FREDERICK, Md. – Frederick Municipal Airport is advancing their decade-long runway expansion project, thanks to a federal grant of $4 million Federal Aviation Administration grant from the Department of Transportation.
“This funding represents a major step in the right direction for the airport to ultimately lengthen those runways,” said Richard Griffin, director of the city’s Department of Economic Development.
FMA has more than 90,000 aircraft operations a year, making it the second busiest airport in the state of Maryland, after Baltimore Washington International Airport.
FMA manages to top Maryland’s list of frequented airports despite its size and service exclusively to general aviation aircraft. To accommodate the growing traffic volume, the city owned airport has made enhancements including adding a control tower.
A runway expansion has been on the minds of city and airport staff for years, but the funding to make it happen has been limited. However, the newly awarded $4 million dollar grant will bring the city a step closer to meeting their goals.
“This federal grant will help improve safety at the airport and help encourage further growth,” said Rep. John Delaney in a statement. “Infrastructure investments mean local jobs and a stronger economy and federal support for regional airports is good news for our state. The grant will cover building demolitions, a gas line relocation and phase funding studies that will map out the airport’s multi-year effort to expand a runway.”
The grant will also provide funds to demolish multiple buildings located on Bailes Lane.