Airport improvements throughout the country are creating contracting opportunities that extend well beyond larger passenger terminals. Public officials are preparing runway upgrades, replacement control towers, navigation-system improvements and cargo facilities designed to strengthen safety, accommodate growth and support regional economic development.
Recent federal funding announcements illustrate the breadth of this investment. On Sept. 14, the Federal Aviation Administration announced $1.1 billion through its Airport Improvement Program, with 280 grants supporting airports in 46 states and three territories. The awards include runway reconstruction, terminal expansion, a new control tower and noise mitigation projects.
Technology is also becoming a larger part of airport modernization. The September funding package includes $10.9 million to equip airport vehicles at 61 airports with transmitters that help air traffic controllers track their movements on runways and taxiways. These investments demonstrate how airport safety projects also create opportunities for both construction firms and technology providers.
Separately, the FAA has released the fifth and final fiscal year installment of approximately $2.89 billion in Airport Infrastructure Grant allocations under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Eligible uses include runways, taxiways, terminals, airport transit connections and roadway improvements. Although this marks the final annual installment under that five-year program, airport capital plans continue to outline projects that will move through design, approvals and construction in the years ahead.
An airport modernization project estimated at approximately $70 million is advancing through planning and design at New Bedford Regional Airport in Massachusetts. The project will replace the airport’s aging passenger terminal and air traffic control tower with separate facilities. The existing terminal dates to 1951, and the current tower is part of the terminal complex.
Plans call for passenger waiting areas, security screening space and a flexible terminal layout capable of accommodating expanded aviation activity. Roadway access and parking improvements are also planned. Officials want a design adaptable to passenger service, cargo activity and helicopter operations associated with the offshore wind industry.
Preliminary environmental work has been completed and a site selected for the new tower. Massachusetts’ fiscal year 2027 capital plan includes approximately $6.53 million for preliminary design, siting and engineering of the terminal and tower. The final scope, project cost and construction procurement schedule will depend on design decisions and funding arrangements.
Cargo development is also being evaluated on the west side of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The Metropolitan Airports Commission’s plans identify a cargo handling facility near Longfellow Avenue, where access to both the airfield and surrounding roadways would support aircraft loading and freight movement.
Anticipated construction includes a cargo building, a concrete aircraft parking apron and vehicle parking facilities. The location was originally intended for cargo activity when the airport developed the area alongside the opening of Runway 17/35.
The commission’s environmental planning documents list the West Cargo Development for 2027 and identify a required environmental assessment worksheet. The project remains a development opportunity to monitor as environmental review, facility requirements and procurement arrangements are refined.
Officials at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C., are preparing a $21 million extension of Runway 5R/23L as aerospace manufacturing and aircraft-related development continue around the airport. The work will expand an airfield asset serving aircraft operations and the airport’s aviation industrial areas.
The existing runway measures approximately 10,001 feet long and 150 feet wide. Its extension is a distinct project within the airport’s broader development program, separate from taxiway construction and upgrades designed to accommodate larger aircraft.
A relocation project estimated at $27.5 million is being planned for Idaho Falls Regional Airport in Idaho. The objective is to move the airport’s air traffic control tower and its associated very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) navigation facility. The existing tower is incorporated into the passenger terminal, where its location limits future expansion.
Plans call for a new control tower at a separate location on airport property and relocation of the VOR to accommodate the tower and other planned airfield improvements. Associated work will include tower siting and design, navigation-system coordination, supporting utilities and site improvements, and integration of the relocated navigation facility into the FAA’s National Airspace System.
Environmental assessment and preliminary design activities are advancing. The airport’s capital planning identifies tower and VOR design in Fiscal Year 2026-27, followed by construction and relocation work in subsequent phases. The schedule remains dependent on FAA coordination and funding, making this a project to watch as its design and procurement plans become more definite.
A runway improvement project estimated at $19.1 million is planned for Anniston Regional Airport in Alabama. On Sept. 24, the city announced an $18.49 million federal award through the Defense Community Infrastructure Program to improve the primary runway in support of Anniston Army Depot. The grant will cover approximately 96.9 percent of the project’s cost.
The airport serves general aviation, business travel and military-related activity. Its existing asphalt runway measures 7,002 feet long and 150 feet wide, and the facility includes more than 500,000 square feet of paved aprons and ramp space.
The project will strengthen the runway’s ability to serve aviation demand while supporting the airport’s military and economic development roles. Detailed construction elements and procurement dates have not yet been announced publicly. The city says additional scheduling information will be released as details are finalized.
In April, the North Carolina Department of Transportation revised the project schedule, moving construction from Fiscal Year 2026 to Fiscal Year 2027 to allow more time for planning and design. The revised program lists $21 million in construction funding across Fiscal Years 2027 to 2029. A specific bidding date has not been established for that funding schedule, so contractors should watch for the airport authority’s procurement announcements.
These projects are similar to dozens more that are approaching the launch stages. Airport modernization is a broad market with opportunities in engineering, environmental services, construction, navigation technology, utilities and cargo logistics. Planning and design documents provide extremely valuable information for companies that contract with public entities. An abundance of information and early positioning tend to give any contracting company a definite competitive edge.
