San Angelo City Council members hope their backing will help secure a $2.5 million grant to support the design of a new Air Traffic Control Tower at the San Angelo Regional Airport. During a regular city council meeting on Tuesday, Airport Director Justin Fletcher asked for and received the council’s unanimous support for the grant.
The money is part of an FAA $120 million Competitive Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity for
Federal Contract Air Traffic Control Towers.
The grant’s intention is to modernize, renovate, reconstruct, or purchase new radio equipment. The Airport’s consultant’s design application will cover design drawings, airspace analysis, and siting study.
Fletcher told the council that San Angelo’s Air Traffic Control Tower will compete well for this
funding because it dates from the mid-1950s, with outdated 1980s communication equipment. He says the total cost of the new tower project would be about $15 million.
The one caveat is that if the City finds that the millions in construction funds can’t be allocated to the new tower, the FAA could request full reimbursement of the $2.5 million in design funds.
Award of the design grant is not guaranteed. San Angelo will compete with other airports and air traffic
control towers across the United States.
