Stabenow, Peters Announce $990,000 for Alpena County Regional Airport

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters today announced that Alpena County will receive an initial $990,000 in federal funding to help with the construction of a new terminal building at the Alpena County Regional Airport. The money will go toward the design of the terminal, which is the first of three phases in the construction process. The planned 18,000 square foot terminal will accommodate modern security needs and support increased passenger traffic.

“This new terminal will make travelling to and from Alpena safer and more efficient,” said Senator Stabenow. “Safe and reliable air travel will also help encourage businesses to invest in the region and create jobs.”

“Ensuring Michigan airports have modern infrastructure is important for the well-being of travelers, as well as economic growth,” said Senator Peters. “I’m pleased that this funding will help upgrade the airport’s facilities to promote safe air travel and increase tourism and commerce in Alpena.”

“This money is crucial for the design and construction of the new terminal that increases safety and helps in our pursuit of more passenger traffic and additional airline carriers,” said Alpena County Regional Airport Manager Steven Smigelski. “On behalf of the people of Alpena County and the County Board of Commissioners, I thank Senators Stabenow and Peters for their continued support of the Alpena County Regional Airport.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration as a part of the Runway Incursion Mitigation Program. The program helps to identify, prioritize, and develop strategies to help airport sponsors mitigate risk. The FAA has developed an updated inventory of airport locations where runway incursions have occurred and is now working with airports on mitigation strategies. More information about the Runway Incursion Mitigation Program can be found at https://www.faa.gov/airports/special_programs/rim/.

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