Reconstruct runway

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (doing business as McGhee Tyson Airport) a $15.2 million project grant under the Airport Improvement Program (CFDA 20.106) on September 19, 2025, to reconstruct 2,779 feet of Runway 05/23 at Knoxville Airport in Alcoa, Tennessee. This award funds the fourth phase of a larger runway reconstruction project totaling 9,000 linear feet of existing paved runway that has reached the end of its useful life. The project is expected to be completed by September 18, 2029, and is coordinated with an associated Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Airport Infrastructure Grant that funds the remaining eligible portions of the runway reconstruction initiative.

The FAA's Airport Improvement Program supports the development and modernization of airport infrastructure nationwide to maintain a safe and efficient airport system. The program encompasses traditional AIP funding, IIJA appropriations, and COVID-19 relief grants administered by the FAA's Southern Region. This runway reconstruction project directly supports the FAA's strategic objectives of safety and operational excellence by rehabilitating critical airfield infrastructure serving the regional transportation ecosystem in the Knoxville area.

Activities and expected outcomes

This project reconstructs 9,000 feet of existing paved runway 05/23 that has reached the end of its useful life. This grant funds the fourth phase, which consists of reconstruction of 2,779 feet. This grant is associated with an airport infrastructure grant that funds the remaining eligible portion of the project. Intended beneficiary: this grant will provide federal funding for airports associated with alcoa, tennessee.