By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – FAA officials announced Wednesday a $49 million grant for Lambert Airport.
Some of the money is part of a larger sum first announced in December.
FAA Deputy Administrator Robert Sturgell said the grant shows the federal government's commitment to the aviation industry.
"The new runway and rehabilitation efforts will bring greater safety, with more room and capacity to handle large aircraft," Sturgell said. "Also, we'll have double the operations in poor weather, which means fewer delays for the traveling public."
Nearly $20 million of the grant will pay for noise mitigation. That includes soundproofing of area homes and the relocation of several schools away from the airport.
Revenue bonds make up the largest portion of the runway construction budget. Other government grants and passenger fees from airlines are covering the rest.