REDMOND, OR -- The Federal Aviation Administration awarded $7.5 million to 13 Oregon airports, on Tuesday, with the largest grant going to Redmond’s Roberts Field. Airport Manager Zach Bass says the $2.7 million from the FAA will be used for a new storage facility for snow removal equipment. "We have a small operations building that’s about 7,000 square feet; it’s really undersized and we actually have to utilize like four or five different buildings spread across the airport, right now, to make sure that we’re housing our equipment. And, even some of our older equipment is outside in the elements." He tells KBND News, "Instead of a 7,000 sf building that we currently occupy, we’re going to be building a 42,000 sf building. A majority of that will just be places to actually park our large equipment; and, we’re expecting more, larger equipment in the next few years."

Construction of the new facility is expected to cost about $13 million. The rest of the funding is already secured by bonds. Bass says the FAA's contribution was expected, and closes the gap to allow construction to begin this fall, "This grant, the $2.7 million, is what we call entitlement money. Based on how large of an airport or how many commercial enplanements we have, we’re basically guaranteed that $2.6-2.7 million every year, to apply to FAA selected construction projects." He says the airport was go out to bid for the project Wednesday. 

The FAA is also providing $360,000 for the Prineville Airport to repair taxiways, rebuild a runway and other projects. The Madras Airport receives $150,000 dollars to update its master plan study. A total of $477 million in federal grants was awarded nationwide, as part of the Airport Improvement Program. 

File Photo: Redmond Airport, June 2019