Gainesville Regional Airport recently received a series of U.S. Department of Transportation grants totaling more than $4 million.
The grants are intended to fund upgrades to the airport taxiway and a new connector lane for planes.
Once completed, the additions will contribute to the overall security of the airport while also enhancing the airport’s aesthetics, said Laura Aguiar, an airport spokeswoman.
The proposed connector lane will eliminate the possibility of a plane accidentally entering a runway in use, Aguiar said.
The duration of the project has not yet been determined, but construction could begin as early as November. Administration will ensure all heavy construction is completed overnight so that flights will not be interrupted during the process, Aguiar said.
In addition to the developments, lighting and signage around the airport will be replaced alongside improvements to the parking lot and the general aviation terminal.
Erin Schoch, a 19-year-old UF telecommunication sophomore who routinely flies out of the airport, said she thinks the funds for renovations will be well spent.
“It’s definitely a good use of public money,” she said.
Most recently, the airport upgraded a service road and the main entrance road.
The airport offers both national and international flights from various airline carriers to destinations ranging from Miami and New York to Paris.
A version of this story ran on page 4 on 9/23/2013 under the headline "Gainesville airport receives federal grants for upgrades"
