Portland International Jetport has been awarded $4.5 million to construct a 1,225-foot taxiway that will better connect its two runways.
The funding comes from the latest round of grants in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program.
Construction of the taxiway is prioritized in the jetport’s master plan for capital improvements. Officials expect the taxiway to reduce the need for runway crossings, with additional benefits of shortened taxi times and reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Most of the jetport’s capital projects are related to enhancing safety and sustainability. Others include the construction of a plane holding, overnight parking and de-icing area, additional taxiway work and reconfiguration of service roads around the jetport.
The improvements come as passenger traffic again rose to record levels at PWM, from 2.13 million passengers in 2018 to 2.17 million in 2019.
The Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill, signed into law in December, secured $3.75 billion for the Airport Improvement Program for fiscal year 2020.
The bill also provided $162 million for the Essential Air Service Program, which funds commercial air service to Augusta, Bar Harbor, Presque Isle and Rockland, and provided $5 million for the FAA’s work on a statewide helicopter route system to help LifeFlight of Maine fly in poor weather conditions.