Last Updated on October 15, 2012 6:24 pm
As part of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s ongoing commitment to improving aviation in North Carolina, the N.C. Division of Aviation awarded $360,000 in State Aid to Airports funds to Wilkes County Airport in North Wilkesboro for a capital improvement project.
The airport will repair and rehabilitate a section of the aircraft parking ramp that is more than 20 years old. The project will consist of a full replacement of the existing asphalt to prolong the infrastructure health of the airport, much like when NCDOT repaves a state road.
The State Aid to Airports Program is NCDOT’s basic airport aid program. This program provides funds for the purpose of planning, acquiring, constructing or improving municipal, county and other publicly owned or controlled airports, and to authorize related programs of aviation safety, promotions and long-range planning.
Wilkes County Airport is a general aviation facility that has an approximate $20.9 million a year cumulative impact on North Carolina and supports more than 90 jobs, based on a 2012 statewide economic impact study.
Since Gov. Bev Perdue took office in 2009, the Division of Aviation has awarded more than $150 million in funding to state airports. These funds enable airports across the state to provide improvements that support economic development and job opportunities.
For more information on North Carolina aviation, visit www.ncdot.gov/aviation.
