VAN NUYS (CNS) — Van Nuys Airport will receive $763,000 in federal infrastructure funds to improve facilities and safety as well as update technology, Rep. Tony Cárdenas announced Wednesday, Jan 26.
The grant “will help the busiest general aviation airport in the country, Van Nuys Airport, continue to serve our communities, drive our local economy and create jobs right here in the heart of the San Fernando Valley,” Cárdenas, a Democrat whose 29th Congressional District includes Van Nuys, said during the news conference at the airfield.
“With these funds,” he added, “we’ll help position California to not only continue to be a global economic powerhouse but a leader in airport infrastructure.”
Van Nuys Airport, which handles noncommercial flights, had more than 295,000 takeoffs and landings in 2021, according to its website.
Cárdenas’ office said 167 airports across California will receive more than $294 million under the bipartisan infrastructure law, which was signed by President Joe Biden in November.
Among Los Angeles-area airports, LAX is the biggest beneficiary of the federal funds, getting more than $79 million, followed by $7.9 million for Hollywood Burbank Airport, $763,000 for Van Nuys and $295,000 for Pacoima’s Whiteman Airport.
Whiteman is under scrutiny by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for safety issues following two crashes in its vicinity in the last two months. Earlier this month, Cárdenas also addressed the airport’s safety record when he sent a letter to the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board requesting a comprehensive safety review.