The Federal Aviation Administration is awarding a $5.9 million grant to the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock to rehabilitate the taxiway at Adams Field.
Members of Arkansas' congressional delegation — U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton and U.S. Rep. French Hill — announced the grant Thursday.
The airport will use the money to pay for Phase II of a reconstruction project that will improve 2,500 feet of the existing Taxiway A pavement, according to a news release.
"Air travel is a vital part of our nation's transportation infrastructure, and it helps spur economic activity and growth," Boozman said in the release. "This project will help Clinton National Airport continue to offer a high quality travel option that can connect travelers from Arkansas and beyond to the rest of the country."
Airport Director Ronald F. Mathieu said the grant will fund "significant upgrades to accommodate larger cargo aircraft, which are frequently diverted to our airport."
The announcement comes a little more than week after Envoy Air Inc., a subsidiary of American Airlines Group, said it would invest $2 million to establish a new aircraft maintenance facility at the airport and bring 60 new jobs to the Adams Field operation over the next five years.
The grant announcement also follows Tuesday's news that the Rogers Executive Airport has received a $5.8 million FAA grant.
