U.S. Congressman Brett Guthrie announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport with an $890,000 grant. This grant will be used to rehabilitate runway 624, the airport’s secondary runway.
Airport Director Rob Barnett said the grant will allow the airport to make upgrades to the runway, patch up necessary areas, seal and restripe it.
The runway is used frequently by Cape Air, Owensboro’s essential air service provider, but it’s also used for the airport’s pilot training program and other programs on a regular basis.
“This will provide more flexibility for landing,” Barnett said. “It’s going to improve an existing asset and add a 20-year life expectancy [to the runway].”
Rather than having one runway, there are four available options at the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport. The runway a plane lands on often depends on the speed and direction of the wind, so the more runways available, the better, Barnett said.
Extending appreciation toward Guthrie’s office and the Department of Transportation, Barnett said this grant will play a substantial role in the airport’s future success.
“This rehabilitation has been a project on our minds for a long time,” he said.
Guthrie said he was proud to see Owensboro receive the competitive grant.
“Owensboro and Daviess County have always been a hub for industry, and improving the airport will only further encourage businesses to choose Daviess County for their facilities,” Guthrie said. “This is great news for the community, and I look forward to seeing the results of the grant.”