Expansion Planned at Hillsboro Airport

Hillsboro Regional Airport will receive more than $700,000 through a Federal Aviation Administration grant toward an expansion project.

The $734,604 grant is one of six totaling more than $1.3 million awarded to regional airports in North Dakota, the state's congressional delegation announced Friday.

The grant is part of a $3 million project at the airport, located south of Hillsboro. The Hillsboro Airport Authority intends to purchase 100 acres of land south of the present airport.

The project is expected to increase hangar space. The airport, which has 11 hangars, has a waiting list of potential customers seeking hangar space.

The airport records up to 50 takeoffs and landings a day, many of them made by pilots involved in UND aviation programs.

Other grants were awarded to airport authorities in Kindred, Beach, Edgeley, Oakes and Jamestown.

"North Dakota's airports play a major role in our state's economic success," Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said. "These grants will go towards funding improvements at airports across the state, which will help them to meet our growing transportation needs."

"North Dakota needs to have strong and reliable transportation infrastructure so our families, communities and businesses can live and work in our state," Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said. "These federal funds are important investments in sustaining quality and top-notch services at airports across North Dakota."