The federal government is awarding $5.8 million in grants to two Maine airports.
Waterville’s Robert LaFleur Airport will receive $4.3 million to reconstruct the main 5,500-foot runway that has reached the end of its useful life. Construction is expected to start next spring, according to an announcement on Monday by Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine.
Brunswick Executive Airport is receiving $1.5 million to construct a snow removal equipment building.
Both grants are through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program.
Pingree in a statement said that renovations at LaFleur Airport and its status as a foreign trade zone have strengthened its attractiveness to businesses. Also, she noted that Brunswick Executive Airport is serving as a hub of businesses developing on the former naval base.
Reconstruction of the longest runway at the Waterville airport is expected to be completed within a year.
“We’re very, very excited. This is probably going to be the biggest project the Waterville airport has seen in many, many years,” said airport manager Randy Marshall on Monday.
The money will be used to repave and rehabilitate the main runway, fix safety areas and replace runway lighting, said Marshall.
“It is in poor condition and we do receive calls frequently from pilots of larger aircraft concerned about the quality of the pavement and whether they want to bring their aircraft to Waterville because of that,” said Marshall. “This will help alleviate that and kind of renew the life of the airport.”
Upgrading the airport has been a priority for groups working to boost the region’s economy.
“We’re extremely pepped up that the city and the federal government are making this investment in LaFleur Airport,” said Kim Lindlof, executive director of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce and interim head of the Central Maine Growth Council. “This runway reconstruction is critical to the economic vitality of the region.”
Lindof said the work on the Waterville runway is especially important because it is longer than what many of the municipal airports in the state have. Runway length dictates the size airplanes that can use it.
Waterville’s airport was built at an original cost of $16.775 million and opened in 1931. It was later renamed for U.S. Army Capt. Robert LaFleur, who was reported missing in action over Germany in 1943.
Morning Sentinel Staff Writer Rachel Ohm contributed to this report.
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