Minneapolis-St. Paul, Duluth airports set to get upgrades
People in line at a service counter at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith announced federal funding for an expansion of Terminal 2 at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, and upgrades to Duluth International Airport's air traffic control tower.
According to a press release on Thursday, MSP is receiving $20 million in funding to add two new gates to the terminal, H15 and H16. The grant comes from the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Terminals Program, which got funding from President Joe Biden's infrastructure legislation, which Klobuchar and Smith had a hand in passing.
"Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is among the busiest airports in the country and supports tens of thousands of jobs," said Klobuchar. "This funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will enable the airport to continue serving the Twin Cities area, improve the travel experience for passengers, and maintain its position as a top-ranking airport."
Meanwhile, the Duluth International Airport received $10 million in funding to relocate the air traffic control tower, which was built in 1963. The airport has an estimated 67,000 arrivals and departures every year.
"The Duluth International Airport provides critical service to northern Minnesota, from commercial service to cargo, military and medical flights, yet it’s operating with a 70-year-old tower – the third oldest in the nation," said Smith. "This investment will make DLH safer and more efficient. It’s exactly the kind of project we aimed to support through the President’s infrastructure law."