Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in
Queensbury received a $550,000 state grant
to upgrade a fuel farm with a 10,000-gallon
tank and spill containment area.
The funds are part of Aviation Capital
Grants Program awards totaling $9 million,
officials announced in December.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said $26.8 million
in state funding is being awarded to
38 rail and aviation safety, security and
economic development projects across the
state. The funding will generate approximately
$36 million in new investments for
transportation projects statewide.
“New York remains a vital transportation
hub, as well as a tourism destination, and
this funding will help ensure travel to and
in this state is safer, more convenient and
more reliable,” Cuomo said.
“By investing
in our transportation infrastructure, we
are making long term improvements to our
rail and aviation systems in order to better
serve the people who use them, while
also expanding economic opportunities
throughout New York.”
The grant will allow for a complete
overhaul of the airport’s fuel storage and
distribution system. Last year, a fuel tank
was ordered closed because of safety concerns.
Officials said the work will be done
in the spring and Warren County will pay
10 percent, about $55,000, for the project.
New York state awarded $17.8 million
in funding from the state’s Passenger and Freight Rail Assistance Program to 12 rail
projects that will repair and replace 65
miles of track and ties, rehabilitate rail
grade crossings and bridges, and construct
new connections to improve safety and
operations.
The state also awarded $9 million to 26
aviation projects through the Governor’s
Aviation Capital Grants Program. Cuomo
said these investments will enhance
airport safety and security, including taxilane
striping and markings, runway and
airfield maintenance, and installation of
automatic weather observation stations.
Other airport related improvements that
will benefit from this funding include the
construction and rehabilitation of new
and existing airport terminals and aircraft
hangars.
New York State Department of Transportation
Commissioner Joan McDonald
said investments in the renewal of rail and
airport infrastructure “are essential for the
State to remain economically competitive
in an ever changing global market place.”
The funding being allocated today was
included in the state’s 2014-15 budget. The
projects that received the funding were
selected through a competitive solicitation
process and rated on established criteria,
including project eligibility, consistency
with state rail and aviation plans, regional
economic benefits, and the ability to leverage
additional investments.