TEXARKANA, Ark. - Texarkana Regional Airport has been awarded a $3.6 million federal grant to help pay for construction of a new terminal.
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the grant, part of $273 million in Federal Aviation Administration funding for improvements at 184 airports. Texarkana's grant is the largest among six awarded to Arkansas airports, totaling $9.3 million.
The first phase of the terminal project is expected to break ground in April 2021.
"It's happening," airport Director Paul Mehrlich said.
In April, the airport received a $1.15 million grant allocated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The airport will use that money in part to pay matching funds required by other programs financing the new terminal, Mehrlich said.
Those matching funds otherwise would be paid by the cities of Texarkana, Arkansas, and Texarkana, Texas, in future annual allocations. Being able to pay them now could shorten terminal construction time by a year, moving up the tentative opening date to fall 2023, Mehrlich said.
President Donald Trump tweeted about Texarkana's grant specifically on Wednesday, taking personal credit for "designating" the funds.
"Great to help the people of Arkansas!" the tweet said.
Mehrlich said he was grateful for the publicity the tweet brought, as now people nationwide know Texarkana has an airport that soon will have a modern terminal building.
Rogers Executive Airport/Carter Field received the second-largest airport grant in the state, $3.2 million for taxi lane projects, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
Other airports receiving grants were Hot Springs Memorial Field, almost $1.7 million to extend and improve the safety area; Kirk Field at Paragould, $521,000 to extend its taxiway; Baxter County Airport at Mountain Home, nearly $182,000 for perimeter fencing; and Calico Rock/Izard County Airport, $161,000 to install navigation aids and lighting.