Alaska Department of Transportation officials said that as much as $256.3 million will be spent on statewide airport projects this year.
Much of the funding will come through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Federal Aviation Administration airport improvement program funds.
Stimulus funds alone will fuel construction on eight projects totaling of $78.3 million to move or upgrade airports in Anchorage, Akiachak, Allakaket, Ouzinkie, Fairbanks, Fort Yukon, King Salmon and Huslia.
DOT has started work on $73.4 million in projects using stimulus funds received through Federal Aviation Administration grants, said DOT spokesman Roger Wetherell. As of Aug. 31, the department had spent $10.2 million of that on these projects.
DOT also is working to finalize FAA grants worth about $178 million for airport improvements around the state.
"Some of the grants are still being negotiated with FAA, so the exact amount has not been finalized to date," said Wetherell.
Akiachak is set to receive $13.9 million to move its airport and Ouzinkie is slated to receive $14.7 million to relocate its airport.
Both airports are listed as having questionable economic merit by U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General. However, the FAA deemed these airport projects as necessary for safety reasons.
Akiachak has 659 residents who live on the Kuskokwim River near Bethel and has 57 flights weekly.
Ouzinkie is located near Kodiak and has 167 residents, and averages 42 flights weekly.
Other projects around the state will include runway lighting, apron improvements, taxiway repaving and safety overruns.
The state of Alaska owns and operates 258 airports, 37 seaplane bases, and one heliport. California by comparison has only 250 state owned public use airports.
