TF Green International Airport in Rhode Island is set to receive $9.2 million in federal funding to advance construction of a new cargo building and aircraft parking area. The funding, announced today by U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, represents a significant step forward in the airport’s ongoing expansion efforts.
The $9,212,959 grant, administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under its Airport Improvement Program (AIP), will fund the fourth phase of the South Cargo Project. This phase will construct 5,800 square meters of new cargo apron. Upon completion of the project, the airport will have gained a total of 60,000 square meters of cargo apron space, significantly increasing its cargo handling capacity, which is expected to stimulate economic activity and improve operational efficiency.
“Our airports are critical engines of economic growth,” said Senator Reed, ranking member of the Appropriations Committee. “I am pleased to work with my colleagues to secure this grant for the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC), which will improve and expand TF Green Airport’s cargo operations, benefiting both tenants and the entire state economy.”
“TF Green International is already one of the most convenient airports in the country for travelers, and we want to make it more trade-friendly as well,” added Senator Whitehouse. “This federal funding will support an expansion of the cargo facility, leading to increased economic activity in Rhode Island.”
The South Cargo project represents a significant modernization effort for the airport. Cargo operations will be relocated from an 80-year-old hangar on the north side of the runways to a new, state-of-the-art facility on the south side of the airfield. The new facility will not only accommodate current and planned cargo volumes, but will also create an aircraft parking apron directly adjacent to the cargo building, improving operational efficiency.
According to FAA guidelines, the AIP grant can cover up to 90 percent of the project costs, with the remaining funds provided by state or local agencies.
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