Puerto Rico Ports Authority secures $27.8M for key airport improvements
The Puerto Rico Ports Authority has been granted $27.8 million in federal funding for capital improvements at four airports on the island.
The money, awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration, will cover 95% of total project costs and support infrastructure upgrades at airports in Aguadilla, Ponce, Ceiba and Vieques.
Rafael Hernández International Airport in Aguadilla will receive nearly $9.6 million to support construction of a new runway, a central component of the agency’s long-term development plan for the region.
Mercedita International Airport in Ponce was awarded $782,345 to design a drainage system tailored to the site’s topographic and geographic conditions. Officials said the study will lay the foundation for a major flood control project in the future.
An additional nearly $2 million will fund pavement design studies at José Aponte de la Torre Airport in Ceiba and Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport in Vieques. The assessments are aimed at supporting future safety and operational upgrades.
Norberto Negrón, executive director of the Ports Authority, said the agency had worked to improve coordination with the federal government and increase access to infrastructure funding.
“We’ve strengthened ties with the FAA to cut red tape and secure funding for projects that are vital to Puerto Rico’s aviation future,” Negrón said.
