Riverside County airports awarded $8.5 million in federal grants

Five airports in Riverside County have been awarded a total of $8.5 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Improvement Program. The grants are intended to support critical safety and infrastructure projects, including runway improvements, apron rehabilitation, and the construction of a new control tower.

Hemet-Ryan Airport will receive the largest portion of the local funding, totaling $6.15 million for runway improvements. French Valley Airport has been earmarked $3.43 million to construct a new control tower, which will be operated by contract controllers to manage increasing air traffic volume.

Other recipients include March Air Reserve Base, which will receive $1.31 million for apron resurfacing; Blythe Airport, which will receive $905,667 for lighting and apron rehabilitation; and Palm Springs International Airport, which is slated for $140,600 in equipment acquisitions. These allocations are part of a broader $3.77 billion nationwide investment in the National Airspace System.