The United States Department of Transportation this week announced a grant award of $300,000 to the City of New Cordell in order to perform maintenance and make improvements at the Cordell Municipal Airport.
The grant will provide federal funding to rehabilitate the runway and install precision path indicators to make the airport more accessible by improving approaches to the runway ends.
The grant rehabilitates 3,430 feet of runway, including a seal coat, in addition to the precision approach path indicators. The rehabilitation, according to the grant documentation, will not only help maintain the runway’s structural integrity but also help to minimize foreign object debris on the runway.
Cordell mayor Jerry Beech said he was excited about the grant.
“We’re excited to be the recipients of the grant,” he said. “It is to be used to resurface the runway, which will assist in maintaining safety for those who use it. It will also help cover the costs of maintenance, which is now provided by the City of New Cordell.”
“We’re extremely happy to be getting this grant from the Federal Aviation Administration,” said Cordell city manager J.C. Moser. “About six or seven years ago we got another grant to put in a new asphalt runway, this is to help us take care of that runway.”
The grant is scheduled to be released over two fiscal years. The first $150,000 will be awarded during the current fiscal year with the remainder to be released next year. The second installment is dependent upon next year’s Federal Aviation Administration appropriations, as authorized by Congress.
Congressman Frank Lucas praised the FAA and the Secretary of Transportation for their work in providing Cordell with the grant.
“Airports are a valuable component of our nation’s transportation infrastructure and serve as an important economic development tool,” he said. “I thank Secretary Chao and the Department of Transportation for their commitment to strengthening our district’s infrastructure and provide economic resources in Western Oklahoma.”
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