The Moore County Airport is set to receive $2.34 million in state funds.
The North Carolina Board of Transportation announced Monday it has approved state funding for Moore County Airport and six other North Carolina airports that totals $4,285,500 for projects to help improve safety and customer service.
The funds will be used for land acquisition in the runway protection zone at Moore County Airport. The funds awarded will be distributed by the NCDOT Division of Aviation and do not necessarily represent the total cost of the project.
A summer project is set to begin with grant money that was previously awarded to the airport.
The airfield lighting project will include the installation of new runway lighting. By switching from conventional lighting to light-emitting diodes (LED), safety is increased because of the higher illumination, and energy consumption is reduced. The project will cost $2.3 million.
The single runway in Whispering Pines sees 40,000 takeoffs and landings a year and is said to return $93 million annually to Moore County.
Feature photo by Sandhills Sentinel Photographer Melissa Schaub.
