A new runway is under construction at Delaware Airpark, thanks to several recent grants.
Sens. Tom Carper (D-Delaware) and Chris Coons (D-Delaware) joined other officials in announcing the $5.8 million federal award Wednesday.
The state and the Delaware River and Bay Authority also contributed money, bringing the total to about $6.5 million.
Delaware State University leases much of the space at the Cheswold facility to house their ten aircraft that make up their aviation program fleet.
University president Harry Williams called the grants “critical” in investing in the future of aviation in the First State.
“It sends a very strong message in terms of the sustainability of this facility and also, it sends a message to our students who are considering pursuing a career in aviation that they will have a first-class training facility,” Williams said.
Both senators touched on the importance of investing in infrastructure in their speeches, with Coons noting the benefits will extend into the future.
“Roads need paving, bridges need repairing, but so too do runways and that creates long-term and short-term job opportunities; short-term in construction, long-term in terms of the quality of the skills that we will be delivering through the aviation program,” he said.
The new runway is already under construction and will run parallel to the current runway. The older space will be used as a taxi lane.
Officials expect the project to wrap up by 2017 at the latest.