Eastern Iowa Airport will seek state grants to help fund construction

Two upcoming capital improvement projects at The Eastern Iowa Airport may be partially financed with grants from the Iowa Department of Transportation.

The Cedar Rapids Airport Commission on Monday authorized Airport Director Marty Lenss to apply for a $450,000 grant to help fund a $16.33 million expansion of the security checkpoint in the passenger terminal. A Federal Aviation Administration grant is expected to pay $3.44 million and the airport will pick up the remaining $12.44 million.

The security checkpoint will be relocated to provide more space for passengers waiting to move through security and retrieve items after they have passed through scanners. While initially providing space for three lanes of passengers and carry-on luggage, it will have the capability to add a fourth lane.

The changes to the security checkpoint are part of the $26.6 million third phase of a $50 million passenger terminal modernization. Construction on the largest single phase of the terminal upgrade is expected to begin in the summer of 2017.

The airport commission also authorized Lenss to apply for a $303,535 IDOT grant to pay 75 percent of the $407,000 cost of a self-service fueling facility for general aviation aircraft.

The self-serve fueling station was identified as the top recommendation of the airport's General Aviation Advisory Group. It would provide private aircraft owners another option on the airfield to refuel their planes in addition to the fixed base operator.

The self-serve facility would be owned and operated by the airport commission, which would fund the remaining $103,465 or 25 percent of the total project cost. The fueling station will assist the airport to remain self-sufficient as required by Federal Aviation Administration grant assurances.

Although the airport is owned by the city of Cedar Rapids, it does not receive any property tax revenue. The regional facility derives its funding from airline revenues, terminal concessions, ground and facility leases, landing fees, ramp fees, parking revenue and farmland rental.