Hawaii Airports Receive over $250 Million through BIL
HI – As part of President Joe Biden’s new bipartisan infrastructure law, Hawaii anticipates receiving $250 million in public airport funding over the next five years. The allocation of this funding over five years also allows airports eligible under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) to apply for these funds. Hawaii will receive $49.3 million annually in the first two years based on its 2019 passenger numbers. The annual funding for the final three years will be determined based on actual traffic versus nationwide totals.
As part of the first allocation, the state plans to use more than $49 million at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport for runway pavement and other improvements on 4L/22R and 4R/22L. The improvements to these runways will enhance overall security and efficiency at HNL, with construction expected to be complete by October 2024.
In the allocations after year one, Hawaii plans on using its funding for projects including runway safety area improvements, airfield lighting replacements, runway rehabilitation, and flood terminal roadway rehabilitation. The state also plans on applying for additional funding next year in addition to its automatically allocated funds. In a statement by U.S. Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg, he emphasized that “airports aren’t just travel hubs, they’re also vital job centers and the economic lifeblood of entire communities and regions. Thanks to the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we have funding to improve airports of all sizes around the country, creating new jobs and helping get people where they need to go”.