The New Castle Airport will receive $5.4 million as part of a major improvement program.
The Federal Aviation Administration funds cover the second of three phases for the new taxiway, which will replace the old Taxiway B and E. Over the past ten years, more than $48 million have been invested in many infrastructure projects at the airport off DuPont Highway, New Castle.
Upon completion of a fourth phase, the new combined taxiway with a length of 7,240 feet will be re-designated in its entirety as Taxiway B.
In addition, the operator of the airport, the Delaware River and Bay Authority spent more than $4 million in new, expanded terminal parking, which was will be wrapped up this month. The expanded parking lot has nearly 200 more spaces for airport customers and has a new perimeter road around the terminal lot to enhance traffic safety and efficiency.
Last fall, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the DRBA more than $4.2 million for improvement projects around the terminal that included drainage.
During the past four calendar years, the airport handled nearly 350,000 airfield operations and is key to the existence of a number of aviation employers at the site.
The terminal was briefly the site of Frontier Airlines flights that drew attention to the business and general aviation airport but amounted to only a tiny percentage of its total revenues and economic impact.
Frontier later added flights at Philadelphia International Airport, which is a short drive for many Wilmington-area residents. The expansion to the Wilmington Airport had been part of a regional plan that included the Trenton airport. The airline continues to offer service from that destination.
The expansion to the Wilmington Airport had been part of a regional plan that included the Trenton airport. The airline continues to offer service from that destination.
According to a 2012 report that came before Frontier’s brief stint, the airport site employed 1,600.
