A hefty federal grant will help fund the construction of a new taxiway at the Page Municipal Airport next year.
Page City Council approved a Federal Aviation Administration grant of $778,000 last month, with a 5 percent financial obligation placed on the city’s end. Equating to roughly $40,000, Page Public Works Director Kyle Christiansen said an additional $19,500 will be reimbursed to the city by the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Aeronautical Division.
The new taxiway, dubbed Taxiway C, will connect to the airport’s shorter east-west crosswind runway. Christiansen said the new taxiway would greatly aid in congestion during Page’s busy season and allow pilots to navigate the airport quicker.

Most importantly, he said, it will allow pilots to more readily access the runway when crosswind conditions are present. Construction is expected to kick off in April 2018.
The expansion is part of an ongoing master plan to make large-scale improvements to the airport in the coming years.
The grant comes as part of an FAA program that offers grants for construction and infrastructure projects at small municipal airports.
To be approved for the grant, the proposed development must meet certain federal guidelines and engineering standards.
“There’s always a drive to expand and improve the airport, especially in a city like Page,” Christiansen commented. “When we receive grant offers such as this, it’s hard to pass when there is such a small financial obligation on our end. It’s a win-win.”