U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand and U.S. Congressman Lee Zeldin today announced $2,486,087 in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding for Francis S. Gabreski Airport. The grant is being provided to Suffolk County for the rehabilitation of runway 15/33 at Gabreski Airport. The airport is home to the 106th Rescue Wing of the Air National Guard and supports over 60,000 aircraft operations a year. The project will create about 50 construction and engineering jobs in Suffolk County over the next year.
“This important investment will help improve the safety at Suffolk’s Gabreski Airport,” said Senator Schumer. “I am pleased to announce this federal funding that will rehabilitate the runway at Gabreski Airport so that our pilots can take off and land safely.”
“This funding will help advance runway safety operations at Gabreski Airport,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Gabreski is a vital economic anchor on Long Island that businesses and travelers rely on every day. I will continue to push for funding to help ensure the safety of passengers and crew members.”
Congressman Zeldin said, “This funding will provide critically important repairs to the runways at Gabreski Airport. This federal grant is especially necessary to support the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard, which plays a crucial role to protect our national security and New York’s emergency response capabilities. My staff and I have been working closely on this initiative with Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and I am especially proud to see this effort moving forward so positively.”
“This project is critical to ensuring the safety of the men and women of the 106th Air Rescue Wing and other users of Gabreski Airport,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said. “I am grateful to the members of our federal delegation—Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Congressman Zeldin—for their hard work to secure these needed funds. This is an important project for an important regional asset.”
Francis S. Gabreski Airport is located in the Town of Southampton and operated by Suffolk County. Gabreski Airport has 3 runways.
According to Suffolk County, Gabreski Airport’s runway 15/33 is in poor condition and is a safety concern due to the intrusion of potholes and pavement debris. Daily inspections are conducted to remove the debris and fix potholes in order to keep the runway safe. This federal funding will go towards rehabilitating the runway to make sure it is in safe and usable condition. The project provides for the ongoing pavement resurfacing needs of the runway at Gabreski Airport. The project includes crack repair, concrete spall repair, joint replacement and concrete panel replacement
The 106th Rescue Wing of the Air National Guard preforms combat search and rescue missions, domestically and abroad, for the Unites States and allied forces. They provide federal assistance during times of war as well as assist New York State in disaster relief, most recently in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, and provide increased security in response to terrorist threats.