The New York State Department of Transportation recently kicked off a $47.8 million project to transform the Greater Binghamton Airport into a modern “aviation gateway” after the project received $32 million in state airport development funds.
[Above photo by NYSDOT]
Built in 1945, the Greater Binghamton Airport handles more than 13,000 aircraft arrivals and departures annually and is serviced by such commercial carriers as Delta and Avelo. The airport is a vital travel hub for prominent local employers, but the main terminal has not been renovated in more than two decades and its features are outdated, NYSDOT said.
Thus current construction in relation to this project has commenced on the airport’s terminal building, which includes the demolition of existing restaurant, kitchen and interior hallways to allow for the construction of temporary waiting areas, new restroom facilities, and a walkway to a jet bridge – with work on the new outdoor canopy and entrance portals beginning this spring.
This project – among nine airport projects receiving funds from the state’s $230 million Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, which is overseen by the NYSDOT – will reimagine the passenger terminal, and redevelop the airport’s main approach road to improve passenger flow and better accommodate the needs of travelers.
[Editor’s note: In April 2023, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials published a report analyzing the impact of general aviation on state and local economies across the country. A joint effort between AASHTO, the Alliance for Aviation Across America, and the National Association of State Aviation Officials, the report is envisioned as a “communication resource” to help illustrate the important role general aviation serves in state and local communities, as well as within the nation’s economy.]
The project also includes the relocation of the general aviation terminal to the main passenger terminal, the agency said.
“With the start of major construction, we have taken a big step toward providing Southern Tier travelers with a state-of-the-art airport that will make their journeys more pleasurable and also serve as an economic engine for the entire region,” noted Governor Kathy Hochul (D) in a statement.
“The improvements we are making to the Greater Binghamton Airport are part of our ongoing efforts to revitalize airports across upstate New York and create world-class travel experiences that will encourage people and businesses to visit, live, and work in the Empire State,” she said.
“We are moving full speed ahead to modernize our vital transportation infrastructure, including our upstate airports, to reconnect communities and strengthen our economy,” added NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez.
“The dramatic improvements now taking place at the Greater Binghamton Airport will create a modern travel gateway that’s worthy of the Southern Tier and help fuel the continued growth and prosperity of the entire region,” she said.
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