DOT grant for Cincinnati/N. Kentucky airport runway

   The U.S. Transportation Department on Monday awarded a $17.6 million grant to rehabilitate an aging runway and taxiway at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
   “This funding will help the airport make critical repairs to aging infrastructure and keep aircraft moving safely and efficiently through Cincinnati,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in a statement.
   Both the runway and taxiway are used extensively by several airlines that rely on Cincinnati as a hub. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport ranked 11th nationwide in 2011 for cargo. A total of 2.8 billion pounds of cargo landed at Cincinnati, a 16 percent increase over 2010, according to DOT.
   The grant will specifically support rehabilitation of a 10,000 foot-long runway and 1,800 feet of the south end of the taxiway.
   “The runway and taxiway are more than 20 years old, and the pavement has reached the end of its useful life,” DOT said.
   The project will be carried out in two phases, starting Sept. 1 and ending Dec. 15, 2013.
   Total project cost is $23.5 million with $17.6 million from the FAA’s airport improvement grant program. The Kenton County Airport Board will fund $5.9 million of the project.
   Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport has two other parallel runways and a crosswind runway that will remain open during construction.