WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced $5,354,487 in federal funding to provide economic relief to the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport and the Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport. The funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) was authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A portion of this funding comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act supported by Sens. Warner and Kaine.

“We are glad to announce that these federal funds will go towards helping ensure that both the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport and the Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport are able to continue to serve Virginians and other folks traveling into the region,” said the Senators.  

The funding will be distributed as follows:

• Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport will receive $4,065,070 to reconstruct the existing Runway 6/24 lighting system, the Runway 16/34 lighting system, and the entire existing taxiway lighting system, all of which require reconstruction to meet FAA standards. This funding will also go towards reconstructing all the existing airfield guidance signs. 
• Virginia Tech Montgomery Executive Airport will receive $1,289,417 to extend Runway 12/30 to 5,500 feet to meet the operational needs of the airport.

Sens. Warner and Kaine have long fought for increased investments to infrastructure, including for Virginia’s airports, and have pushed back against the Trump Administration’s suggested budget cuts to DOT to ensure that critical upgrades like these can happen. Additionally, last year, Sen. Warner introduced a bill to strengthen the nation’s infrastructure, create jobs, and generate economic stimulus.

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