Congressman Cuellar announces a $7.8 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration at the Laredo International Airport with representatives from the City of Laredo and the Laredo Airport Advisory Board on Tuesday. Pictured from left to right are Mario Maldonado, Acting Laredo Airport Manager; Airport Advisory Board Member George Narvaez; State Rep. Richard P. Raymond; City Manager Jesus Olivares; Mayor Pete Saenz; Congressman Henry Cuellar; District V Council Member Roque Vela, Jr.; Mayor Pro Tempore and District IV Council Member Juan Narvaez; Laredo Airport Advisory Board Member Sylvia Praesel; and Marcus Moreno, Laredo Airport Advisory Board Chair.

This new FAA grant of $7,819,990 will be used to make necessary improvements to the airport’s facilities, which include extending and rehabilitating the existing taxiway, installing guidance signs, and rehabilitating the cargo apron that has reached the end of its useful life.

Specifically, the funds will allow for the installation of airport guidance signs and markings, and fund the rehabilitation of:

·         850 square yards of existing apron pavement

·         Phase 9 of the airport’s apron rehabilitation project

·         Rehabilitation of 625 feet of an the existing Taxiway G pavement

·         850 foot taxiway extension of Taxiway G to enhance safety, efficiency and capacity of aircraft movements

·         Phase 1 for the replacement of all airfield guidance sign fixtures to enhance aircraft visual guidance and enhance safety of aircraft movements.

“These federal funds will allow the Laredo International Airport to make much-needed updates to its infrastructure that will enable safer and more efficient movement of cargo and passenger air traffic,” said Congressman Cuellar. “I would like to thank Mayor Pete Saenz, City Manager Jesus Olivares, Council Member Roque Vela, Airport Manager Mario Maldonado and all who helped to secure this funding and continue to support investments in Laredo’s transportation infrastructure and economic growth.”

Mayor Saenz, Mayor of Laredo
“Laredo’s airport has evolved from a military facility to one that serves its people with passenger service and our major trade industry; with this new added funding, we continue on the path of progress enabling us to increase operational capacity and the life of the infrastructure on our aprons, the area that all of the aircrafts traverse within the airport grounds,” said Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz.

Roque Vela, Jr., District V Council Member

“I again express my gratitude to the team that made this grant happen.  Our Congressman for his leadership in Washington, D.C. and our local leadership here in Laredo for maintaining the Federal Aviation Administration connections that keep the federal reinvestment coming in,” stated Council Member Roque Vela, Jr. “I am fortunate to have such a progressive facility in my district that continues to be enhanced.”