Dorchester County awarded $473K in federal and state grants for Summerville Airport apron and taxilane project design
September 30, 2025
Dorchester County was recently awarded two grants from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) towards the design of a new taxilane and apron at the Summerville Airport. The FAA will be providing up to $460,876 through the Fiscal Year 2025 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Airport Infrastructure Grant, totaling $230,438; and the Fiscal Year 2025 Airport Improvement Program, totaling $230,438. The South Carolina Aeronautics Commission is providing $12,128 in State grant matching funds along with the County’s match of $12,129 to support this project.
The funds will be used to design the construction of a new 1,220-foot taxilane to provide airfield access to a non-exclusive hangar development area and a new 13,555-square-yard General Aviation Apron to bring the airport into conformity with current standards for each. With these grants awarded, the Summerville Airport will increase its capacity for aircrafts. The ramp spaces and taxilane will be increased in size, which has the potential for up to seven new aircraft hangers.
“I am pleased that the County was awarded these federal grants toward enhancing the Summerville Airport,” said Dorchester County Council Chairman David Chinnis. “Our County’s airports are important economic development drivers, and these improvements will give back to the County, through tax revenue and fuel sales, as a whole in the coming years.”
“Small airports have an important part in promoting better connectivity, fueling local economic development, and boosting workforce development,” said Dorchester County Airport Manager Jeffrey Craven. “I look forward to the completion of these upgrades to the Summerville Airport and the valuable benefits they will bring to the community.”
As part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Airport Infrastructure Grant program provides $14.5 billion in funding over five years starting in Fiscal Year 2022. This includes up to $2.39 billion for primary airports and up to $500 million for nonprimary airports. These funds can be invested in runways, taxiways, safety and sustainability projects, as well as terminal, airport transit connections, and roadway projects. For a fourth year, FAA has made $2.89 billion available to U.S. airports.
The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) airport grant program funds airport infrastructure projects such as runways, taxiways, airport signage, airport lighting, and airport markings. The grants strengthen our nation’s aviation infrastructure. Airports are entitled to a certain amount of AIP funding each year, based on passenger volume. If capital project needs exceed available entitlement funds, then the FAA can supplement entitlements with discretionary funding.
Additional information on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can be found on FAA’s website here.
