DES MOINES — The Des Moines International Airport just picked up another $2 million to go towards safety improvements.
But could that cause an inconvenience for passengers starting as early as this spring?
The airport is busy these days after setting another record for passengers last year.
So what do the passengers want?
“I think it could be great if we end up with a few more direct flights,” Ankeny resident Steve Bennett said.
Those flights are coming.
Direct flights to Memphis, Austin and Miami are being added in the coming months.
But those planes still need a safe place to land.
“This grant allows us to continue to rehabilitate the pavement and get it back in shape,” executive director at the Des Moines airport Kevin Foley said.
The airport spent the last three summers rehabbing one of its main runways.
Now just over $1.2 million will go towards repaving the other main runway.
A project that Foley said is long overdue
“We’ve got some pavement that is just not in very good shape. It is showing the wear and tear from compression when aircraft land. Just like our highways,” Foley said.
But the closure means Des Moines will be down to one runway three of the next four summers, something the airport has dealt with the last three years.
But Steve Bennett doesn’t see this as an issue.
“I guess I’d be surprised if it did. Most of the time I fly there’s only flight coming in at a time anyway. You’re never going and waiting on the runway very long here,” Bennett said.
“This is a safety issue. We have to rehabilitate our pavement. We want to make sure we are as safe as possibly can be. We’re doing our best to keep your airport open, keep it functioning and keep it safe,” Foley said.
The grants the Des Moines airport received were part of more than $15 million in grants given to 25 different airports around Iowa.
The grants to airports in Iowa include the following awards:
$313,350 to Ames Municipal Airport for airport lighting vault construction.
$909,000 to Atlantic Municipal Airport for runway rehabilitation.
$278,000 to Arthur N. Neu Airport in Carroll for runway, taxiway and apron pavement sealing.
$225,000 to Schenck Field in Clarinda to acquire snow removal equipment.
$158,808 to Clarion Municipal Airport for runway lighting reconstruction.
$286,200 to Decorah Municipal Airport for access road improvements.
$600,000 to Denison Municipal Airport for runway construction.
$1.87 million to Des Moines International Airport for runway reconstruction and service road construction.
$1.41 million to Dubuque Regional Airport for runway lighting construction.
$568,113 to Estherville Municipal Airport for taxiway construction.
$616,500 to Fort Dodge Regional Airport for runway pavement sealing.
$300,000 to Fort Madison Municipal Airport for runway lighting reconstruction.
$383,976 to Harlan Municipal Airport for apron reconstruction and apron pavement sealing.
$155,655 to Independence Municipal Airport for taxiway and apron pavement sealing.
$478,748 to Iowa City Municipal Airport for runway rehabilitation and for obstruction removal.
$369,000 to James G. Whiting Memorial Field in Mapleton for runway lighting reconstruction and to install visual guidance systems.
$149,310 to Maquoketa Municipal Airport to remove obstructions.
$549,548 to Marshalltown Municipal Airport for building construction.
$360,000 to Mason City Municipal Airport for taxiway lighting reconstruction.
$270,000 to Sioux County Regional Airport in Maurice to acquire snow removal equipment.
$1.2 million to Pella Municipal Airport for runway reconstruction.
$108,000 to Red Oak Municipal Airport for taxiway and apron pavement sealing.
$900,000 to Sioux Gateway Field in Sioux City for taxiway reconstruction.
$510,570 to Storm Lake Municipal Airport for runway and taxiway lighting reconstruction.
$2.78 million to Waterloo Regional Airport for taxiway and apron reconstruction.