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Connect With Your Community!
The Three Forks Airport has recently been awarded grants and loans for improvement projects. Courtesy photo
The Three Forks Airport will see improvements soon.
Earlier this month, the Gallatin County Commission approved an $88,000 loan from the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Division. According to County Lead Grants Coordinator Jamie Grabrinski, the money will be used for taxiway and airfield improvements.
The loan approved by the governing body comes after the Three Forks Airport was awarded a Federal Aviation Airport Grant last year.
"We currently have one FAA grant for approximately $5.6 million, and the motion to accept the $88,000 loan last week corresponds to this FAA loan and MDT grants," she said.
In February, there was more good news for future improvements when the Montana Department of Transportation Aeronautics Board approved over $175,000 in funding for the Three Forks Airport.
A total of $2.85 million was awarded to 58 of 69 different project requests for 27 of Montana's public airports, including federally and non-federally funded projects.
The funding includes an $80,736 grant and a $15,229 loan to extend the taxiway at the airport. The Three Forks Airport received a $16,803 grant and a $3,170 loan to rehabilitate the runaway. A $30,482 grant and $5,570 loan were approved to rehabilitate the taxiway at the airport. The airport received a $6,227 grant and a $1,175 loan to rehabilitate the apron. A $14,167 grant and $1,275 loan were awarded to construct a taxiway.
Grabrinski said the MDT funding announced in February is contingent upon receiving an airport improvement program grant from the FAA.
FAA GRANT FUNDS
In September 2022, the Three Forks Airport was awarded $5,627,51 in FAA Airport Grant funds. The funding will be used to extend a taxiway, install taxiway lighting, rehabilitate an apron, and rehabilitate a runway.
"Airports are essential infrastructure in Montana that help create jobs and keep families connected across our state," said U.S. Senator Jon Tester. "I'm proud to have secured these investments that will modernize and upgrade multiple brick-and-mortar projects at the Three Forks Airport, which will help expand operations at the facility and grow the economy for folks in Gallatin County."
These resources will go toward the construction phase of the following projects:
· Rehabilitating 2,860 feet of the existing partial parallel taxiway pavement to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris.
· Rehabilitating 8,250 square yards of the existing general aviation apron pavement to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris.
· Rehabilitating 5,100 feet of the existing Runway 3/21 pavement to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris.
· Extending the partial parallel taxiway an additional 2,500 feet to the Runway 3 threshold.
· Installing a new parallel taxiway lighting system to enhance safe airfield operations during low visibility conditions.
· Rehabilitating 1,700 feet of the existing hangar access taxiway pavement to maintain the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize foreign object debris.
