Here’s how 29 Iowa airports will use more than $17.2 million in federal grants • Iowa Capital Dispatch

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Iowa airports approximately $17.2 million in grants for repairs and new construction in 2024.

Of the 29 different airports in Iowa that received grants, three were awarded at least $1 million. Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City received just over $1 million, Dubuque Regional Airport received about $2.8 million, and Des Moines International Airport received about $5.5 million.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, airport infrastructure grants from the bipartisan infrastructure bill can be invested in runways, safety or sustainability projects, airport transit connections, new terminals or road construction projects. Since the bill passed, grants have totaled nearly $9 billion.

Dubuque Regional Airport, Perry Municipal Airport, Sioux Gateway Airport and Cherokee County Regional Airport each received two different grants from this program in 2024.

Des Moines Airport Terminal

Des Moines International Airport will use the $5.5 million grant to build the airport’s newest terminal.

The airport’s new terminal has been the focus of grants in recent years, with the airport receiving approximately $5 million in 2022 and $10.8 million in 2023.

The money from this year’s grant will specifically be used to frame and glaze the exterior walls of one of the new terminal buildings, said airport executive director Kevin Foley.

Foley said the goal of the new terminal is to both meet growing demand for the airport and attract more flights to Des Moines.

“This $5.4 million will allow us to move the project forward,” Foley said. “We desperately needed a new terminal to serve the market here in Des Moines, and this funding will help us achieve that goal.”

All of the money went into the first phase of terminal construction, Foley added. Phase 1A is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.

Phase two of the project is currently being planned; budget estimates and a decision on whether to proceed will be made at a later date, Foley said.

New runways, taxiways, terrain and more

Of the $16.8 million in grants awarded to Iowa airports this year, the majority of the funds go toward purchasing new equipment or building new facilities for the airports. Excluding the $5.5 million from the Des Moines airport project, about $6.6 million goes toward those projects.

The funds for Arthur N. Neu Airport, Cherokee County Regional Airport and Muscatine Municipal Airport will enable the installation of optical runway guidance systems to help pilots find and align with the runway.

Iowa City Municipal Airport plans to purchase over $400,000 worth of solar panels. The solar panels will reduce the airport’s greenhouse gas emissions while saving money on electric bills.

“We’re helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide emissions and the like. Anytime we can use renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels, I think that helps everyone,” said airport manager Michael Tharp. KCRG in February.

Sioux County Regional Airport received over $123,000 to purchase nearby land for future development.

Several other airports plan to invest nearly $2 million to improve, expand or build new hangars for their aircraft.

Funding is planned to be used to purchase snow removal equipment to clear aircraft runways at Marshalltown Municipal Airport, Sioux Gateway Airport and Perry Municipal Airport.

Airport reconstruction and repairs

About $5.2 million of the grants awarded this year will go toward repairing or replacing airport infrastructure.

Dubuque Regional Airport will spend most of the funding it receives to remodel its runway, where planes park and passengers board and disembark.

“General aviation is something the public may not see or experience, but it is an essential part of our operations,” said Todd Dalsing, Dubuque Regional Airport director, in a news release. “This important federal funding will allow us to continue to provide first-class service to the private aircraft that use the DBQ.”

Guthrie County Regional Airport and Ames Municipal Airport are also using grants of $336,000 and $240,000, respectively, to remodel their airport runways.

Several airports in Iowa need repairs to their taxiways, a path for aircraft that connects hangars, runways and other parts of the airport.

Perry Municipal Airport, Sioux Gateway Airport, Clinton Municipal Airport, Davenport Municipal Airport and Iowa Falls Municipal Airport will spend approximately $1.1 million to repair their runways.

Most of the other repairs involve resurfacing sidewalks near taxiways or runways. Over $900,000 will be spent by Grinnell Regional Airport, Fort Madison Municipal Airport and Estherville Municipal Airport on resurfacing sidewalks.

A full list of supported airports can be found here.