Federal grant money helps fund Gary airport equipment purchases

The Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority authorized purchases that will upgrade its rescue and maintenance equipment with the help of $2 million in federal money included last spring in a bill that funded the government through September.

The $2 million will go toward a 3,000 gallon Airport Rescue and Firefighting truck and two high-speed runway brooms for snow removal. The costs of just over $932,000 and $1.3 million, respectively, will also be funded through 5% contributions from the Indiana Department of Transportation and the airport itself.

The airport's board also approved purchase of two new mower tractors and decks for just over $130,000, and two Kubota utility vehicles at a cost of about $40,450.

While the board made quick work of the federal money U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, included on a list of $45 million he secured for Northwest Indiana projects, the airport will have to wait until fall 2023 for the manufacturers to deliver the new firefighting truck and runway brooms.

Once in operation, the fire truck will expand the type of airplanes that can land at the airport, airport Executive Director Dan Vicari said.

All of the purchases will replace older equipment, with the utility vehicles replacing pickup trucks as more fuel-efficient and lower maintenance vehicles.

Also Wednesday, the board approved an addition to its contract with the engineering firm NGC Corp. to do a study to determine the best site for a new control tower. 

"Our air traffic control tower, we think, is about 70 years old," Vicari said. "No one disagrees it's time for an upgrade."

With the 2015 runway extension and a new approach light system in place, airport officials decided a study to determine the best place for a new tower was needed.

Ken Ross of NGC said the study will put the airport in position to compete for a federal grant to help finance a new tower. When similar money was awarded this year from the 5-year federal infrastructure bill, the two airports that received money each had already performed a site assessment, he said.