SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $3.4+ MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR WATERTOWN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FROM PROGRAM SENATORS BOOSTED FUNDING FOR IN FAA REAUTHORIZATION; FED $$ WILL HELP WATERTOWN REPAIR RUNWAY PAVEMENT & REPLACE SIGNAGE

Repair Project Will Help Watertown Airport Replace Old Airfield Signage & Strengthen Runway; Senators Say Funding Is Important For Maintaining Aviation Safety Year Round

Announcement Includes Fed Funding From FAA’s Airport Improvement Program, Which Schumer Fought Hard To Boost In This Year’s FAA Re-Authorization Bill

Senators: Fed $$ Will Help Much Needed Upgrades Take Off At Watertown International Airport

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $3,415,728 in federal funding for the Watertown International Airport. This critical federal funding will allow Watertown International Airport to replace 36 airfield guidance sign fixtures that are too old to be useful and repair cracks in the runway pavement, which is important to preventing deterioration and maintaining safety in the winter months.

“Keeping our airport runways and signage in top-notch shape is crucial for traveler safety and for attracting business and tourism to the North Country. This $3.4+ million in federal funding will help the Watertown International Airport reach new heights,” said Senator Schumer. “Americans across the country have grown more concerned about aviation safety, and I fought hard to boost funding for the Airport Improvement Program so that airports in Upstate NY and across the country would have the resources they need to maintain the highest safety standards. This significant federal investment will allow Watertown to make much-needed improvements and help our local economies take off.”

“Each year, thousands of passengers fly out of and into Watertown International Airport, and it is vital that the runway is safe for them,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This $3.4 million in federal funding will help bring critical upgrades to the main runway and airfield signage at Watertown International Airport and boost aviation safety. I’m proud to have worked to secure this funding and will continue fighting to bring vital modernization and improvement efforts to airports across New York State.”

Jefferson County Board of Legislators Chairman William W. Johnson said, “This grant will significantly improve the condition of our airport's main runway, ensuring its serviceability for at least an additional decade. We are thankful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for their advocacy in securing this vital funding."

Watertown International Airport Director of Aviation Grant W. Sussey said, “When aircraft touch down at Jefferson County we need to make sure it occurs on a smooth surface and clear signage is present to pilots. This funding will go along in preserving the main runway structure for a long time into the future, keeping those surfaces smooth and appropriately marked. Thank you to Senator Gillibrand and Senator Schumer for securing this critical funding for our airport."

The project includes the rehabilitation of Runway 10-28, between the Runway 10 end and the intersection of Runway 10-28 and Runway 7-25 at the Watertown International Airport. Portions of Runway 10-28 were last rehabilitated in 2004. The rehabilitation is planned to include the tie-ins at Taxiways Al, A2, and B through the RSA plus 20 feet beyond. The project will also include the replacement of guidance signs, installation of a supplemental wind cone, and grading corrections of the RSA. 

The Airport Improvement Program (AIP), through the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration, provides grants to public agencies - and, in some cases, to private owners and entities - for the planning and development of public-use airports. Funds obligated for the AIP are drawn from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which is supported by user fees, fuel taxes, and other similar revenue sources.

The senators have delivered hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to airports across Upstate NY through this program, and Schumer fought to boost funding for the AIP in this year’s FAA reauthorization bill in order to revitalize airports and enhance airfield safety at airports. The AIP is one of the most widely used federal grants by Upstate NY airports in order to make critical modernization and safety upgrades.

Schumer and Gillibrand have a long history of delivering funding to help improve Watertown International Airport. Most recently, in November 2021 Schumer announced $5,084,660 for Watertown International Airport through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs law. In September 2021, the senators also announced $2,190,000 for Watertown International Airport for a variety of airport safety and quality improvement projects, including rehabilitating runways, installing a new guidance system, and making improvements to a terminal building. In March 2021, Schumer additionally announced $1,130,240 for Watertown International Airport through the Schumer-led American Rescue Plan.

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