Bishop Airport Grant Award Upped to $6.1 Million

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced today that Bishop International Airport would receive an additional $1,141,833 entitlement to the recently announced $5,000,000 Federal Aviation Administration grant. The $6.1 million grant will help fund construction of taxiways and expansion of aprons at the airport.

“Last year, Bishop Airport carried more than a million passengers, nearly a five fold increase in twenty years. And the growth in cargo and freight traffic have skyrocketed thanks to the commitment and investments of FedEx– making it one of the fastest growing airports in Michigan,” said Kildee. “Michigan travelers will enjoy the improvements and Bishop’s growing importance as the airport continues to grow.”

Bishop Airport is situated near the Canadian National and CSX railroads at the junction of I-69, I-75 and US 23. These heavily-traveled corridors are major arteries of freight movement through the state of Michigan and are key trade routes that connect the state to Canada, Mexico and beyond. The new cargo hub at Bishop will utilize these major corridors to help businesses in Michigan meet their logistical goals, capitalizing on domestic and international markets.

In recent years, the growing importance of Bishop as a hub for commercial use had already helped draw in more than $5.0 million in federal aid. Bishop Airport received a $900,000 grant in August of 2008 to aid in the purchase of land previously acquired for additional parking. In September of 2007, Kildee helped secure a $2.5 million grant to expand its west cargo apron to accommodate both additional and larger freight aircraft. Kildee also helped secure $1.6 million in a 2005 federal highway bill to improve Bristol Road and accommodate the apron expansion.