Central ND News

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded over $15 million to Grand Forks International Airport for infrastructure improvements, according to an announcement from Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee. The funds will be used for the reconstruction and upgrade of the airport’s primary runway and taxiway pavement and lighting, which have reached the end of their service life.

The grant comes through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and will support a portion of the primary runway’s reconstruction. The project is estimated to cost $60 million in total, with nearly $40 million expected to come from federal sources. Construction on the runway is scheduled to take place between 2026 and 2028.

Grand Forks International Airport is currently undergoing a multi-year expansion aimed at improving safety and increasing capacity. These upgrades are intended to support both commercial air service and flight training activities by the University of North Dakota (UND). Due to the recent completion of a five-year, $70 million crosswind runway project last fall, both commercial flights and UND training operations can continue during the main runway's reconstruction.

In addition to these improvements, the FAA will soon begin construction on a new air traffic control tower at Grand Forks International Airport. The agency plans to issue a Request for Proposals within two months for this fully funded project.

“Grand Forks International Airport consistently ranks as one of the top 25 busiest airports in the country due to the dynamic and growing economy in the Grand Forks region and the world-leading aviation school at the University of North Dakota. We are working to ensure our airport infrastructure can meet air service demand now and into the future,” said Hoeven. “We set the stage for the reconstruction of the primary runway with our work to secure more than $50 million in federal funding for the crosswind runway, which we completed last fall. These efforts in Grand Forks build upon our work across the state to expand our airports in line with the strong economic growth we’ve supported over the past two decades.”