NoVA Airports To Receive $245M In Funds For Upgrades From Infrastructure Bill

VIRGINIA — Airports in Northern Virginia and the Fredericksburg area will receive more than $245 million from the federal government over the next five years as part of the infrastructure bill that President Joe Biden signed into law on Nov. 15, Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Wednesday.

Along with airports, the $1 trillion infrastructure bill will send money to states for roads, ports and electric transmission lines, as well as help to improve access to broadband internet and replace hazardous lead drinking pipes.

From the bill, Washington Dulles International Airport is expected to receive $120.4 million in federal funds over the next five years to help with upgrades, while Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will receive $116.7 million.

“The funding represents Virginia’s share of $15 billion in direct grants to airports expected around the country as a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a bipartisan, once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness that was negotiated by Sen. Warner and strongly supported by Sen. Kaine,” Virginia’s two senators said in a statement Wednesday.

Manassas Regional Airport and Leesburg Executive Airport each is expected to receive $1.7 million in funding from the infrastructure bill. Winchester Regional Airport is expected to receive $1.5 million. Stafford Regional Airport will receive $790,000 from the infrastructure bill.

The greatest airport investments will likely be in terminals, with the primary objective being capacity enhancements to meet the expected new demand for air travel as the COVID-19 pandemic eases.

In 2021, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the U.S. aviation system a D+, largely because airports’ basic inefficiencies and lack of space lead to problems like delays and overcrowding. The airport grade was worse than those of other transportation infrastructure, like bridges, which earned a C, and roads, which were given a D.

Across the entire state, Virginia's airports are expected to receive a total of $399.7 million in federal funds over the next five years as a result of the passage of the infrastructure bill. Here are the expected amounts that will be distributed to the state's airports:

• Washington Dulles International: $120,399,725
• Ronald Reagan Washington National: $116,734,485
• Richmond International: $35,608,215
• Norfolk International: $33,098,390
• Charlottesville-Albemarle: $15,444,835
• Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional: $14,977,645
• Newport News/Williamsburg International: $10,194,005
• Lynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn Field: $6,497,230
• Shenandoah Valley Regional: $5,066,130
• Manassas Regional/Harry P. Davis Field: $3,735,000
• Leesburg Executive: $3,735,000
• Virginia Highlands: $1,480,000
• Virginia Tech/Montgomery Executive: $1,480,000
• Culpeper Regional: $1,480,000
• Danville Regional: $1,480,000
• New River Valley: $1,480,000
• Blue Ridge: $1,480,000
• Chesapeake Regional: $1,480,000
• Hampton Roads Executive: $1,480,000
• Richmond Executive-Chesterfield County: $1,480,000
• Hanover County Municipal: $1,480,000
• Warrenton-Fauquier: $1,480,000
• Winchester Regional: $1,480,000
• Franklin Regional: $790,000
• Front Royal-Warren County: $790,000
• Twin County: $790,000
• Louisa County/Freeman Field: $790,000
• Luray Caverns: $790,000
• Mountain Empire: $790,000
• Accomack County: $790,000
• Orange County: $790,000
• Dinwiddie County: $790,000
• New Kent County: $790,000
• William M. Tuck: $790,000
• Mecklenburg-Brunswick Regional: $790,000
• Stafford Regional: $790,000
• Suffolk Executive: $790,000
• Tappahannock-Essex County: $790,000
• Middle Peninsula Regional: $790,000
• Emporia-Greensville Regional: $550,000
• Farmville Regional: $550,000
• Ingalls Field: $550,000
• Lee County: $550,000
• Tazewell County: $550,000
• Tangier Island: $550,000
• Lonesome Pine: $550,000
• Brookneal/Campbell County: $550,000