Good airport newsSen. Elizabeth Dole’s confirmation that the Rowan County Airport has been cleared for takeoff on a $2 million federal grant is good news, indeed.
While that may be a small part of the $20 million cost of the master plan for airport improvements, this federal installment ó part of the transportation bill ó could help speed progress on one of the most important goals: extending the runway to expand the kind of planes the airport can accommodate. The county needs all the financial help it can get in this endeavor, and this boost is certainly welcome.
Commissioners and other local officials have long talked about how important the airport is for the county’s ecnomic development ó a fact confirmed by how airports in Cabarrus and Iredell have helped bring new business to those areas, while expanding their tax revenues. Like those other facilities, Rowan County Airport can capitalize on the increasing use of private corporate aircraft, but it’s important to get these improvements off the ground as quickly as possible. These funds should provide a strong tailwind.