Eastern Iowa Airport project gets boost from federal pandemic aid

DES MOINES — The ongoing terminal upgrade project at The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids will get nudged across the finish line thanks to a new round of federal pandemic relief funding being distributed to Iowa’s airports.

During a news conference Wednesday at Des Moines International Airport, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the $100 million in funding, which is from the federal American Rescue Plan passed in 2021 by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden.

Each of Iowa’s eight commercial airports will be eligible for the funding, which will be distributed largely in proportion to the amount of air travel at each airport.

The Eastern Iowa Airport will be eligible for $28.4 million, which will enable it to complete the fourth and final phase of its terminal upgrade project, an airport official said.

Airport officials called the new federal funding a historic level of investment in Iowa’s airports.

“The Eastern Iowa Airport plays a significant role in our region’s economic strength. It is a critical component in attracting new businesses and jobs to Cedar Rapids,” Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said in a statement.

“The continued growth at (the airport) is a direct testament to our community’s economic health. We are very appreciative of this funding and the recognition of the important role The Eastern Iowa Airport plays in transporting passengers and cargo across the state.”

The airport already has invested nearly $55 million in the terminal upgrade project, and the fourth and final phase has been projected to cost another $50 million, according to a news release. But the project had been placed on hold in part due to the pandemic’s impact on air travel.

“When COVID hit in 2020, and with fiscal responsibility as our guiding principle, we hit the pause button on the fourth phase as we waited to see if and when passenger traffic would return,” Pam Hinman, the airport’s director of marketing and communications, said during Wednesday’s news conference.

“With (the airport’s) passenger recovery outpacing the national average, we have restarted the process. And as the governor stated, with this state investment it will help us achieve the development objective and complete this transformational terminal modernization project.”

Hinman said the ongoing upgrades will include expanded space, additional jet bridges, more concessions and amenities and a continued transition to a geothermal ventilation system. Local funds will match the federal-state investment, and improvements are scheduled to begin in the spring of 2023, the city said.

“I truly believe that Iowa has an incredible opportunity ahead, and our investment in Iowa’s air transportation system will support our long term growth and help us realize our potential,” Reynolds said during the news conference. “I couldn’t be more excited to stand back and wait and see the result that I know is going to happen across the state.”

Leaders in the Iowa Democratic Party highlighted the fact that the federal American Rescue Plan was supported mostly by congressional Democrats. U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne, Iowa’s lone Democrat in Congress, was the only member of the state’s delegation to vote for the funding. When the funding was being considered by Congress, Reynolds, a Republican, signed a letter with 21 other governors expressing their opposition.

“Instead of taking credit for the funding that will revitalize airports all around the state, Kim Reynolds should thank President Biden and Congresswoman Cindy Axne for securing this critical investment for Iowa’s infrastructure,” Ross Wilburn, chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, said in a statement.

Reynolds on Wednesday called the latest disbursement of the federal pandemic relief funds “strategic and responsible.”

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com