The University Park Airport (UNV) was awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation in the amount of $5,351,624 for construction of a new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) building. Construction began in mid-September.
 
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded more than $1.2 billion in airport safety and infrastructure grants through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to more than 400 American airports. Grants will be used for a variety of critical infrastructure and safety projects, including purchasing aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment, constructing and repairing runways and taxiways, installing aircraft lighting and signage, and conducting airport master plan studies.

University Park Airport’s current 3,900-square-foot ARFF building was constructed in 1988. The new ARFF station, designed in accordance with FAA guidelines and to be completed in fall 2021, will be 10,000 square feet and will easily accommodate today’s larger vehicles as well as provide ample space for personnel. 

“In 2019, University Park Airport served a record 386,000 plus passengers, and the new ARFF facility is yet another airport enhancement to serve thousands of air travelers and to support airport operations,” says Bryan Rodgers, director of University Park Airport and the Penn State Aviation Center.