Essex County Airport In Fairfield Gets $3M Boost From Feds

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County Airport in Fairfield is getting a $3 million boost to help rehab its runway, authorities announced Thursday.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement program is awarding $3 million in funding for Essex County Airport, which will be put into infrastructure and safety upgrades.

Essex County Airport is owned and operated by the Essex County Improvement Authority.

The FAA also awarded $2.5 million to improve the runway safety area at Morristown Municipal Airport.

It isn’t the only recent federal funding the two airports have received. Earlier this year, Essex County Airport was awarded $144,900 to remove tree obstructions from the runway. Morristown Municipal Airport was awarded a combined $7.7 million in federal funding for runway safety improvements in separate grants for $7,021,659 in May and $448,341 and $300,000 in June.

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, who represents the state’s 11th District, including several towns in Essex County, offered praise for the upcoming influx of federal dollars.

“This federal funding will enable our local airports to make needed improvements to their aging infrastructure, enhance safety for the traveling public and ensure our state’s continued economic competitiveness for years to come,” Menendez said.

“When I was in flight school, I learned the importance of a safe runway and landing approach,” Sherrill said. “Our airports in Essex and Morris counties are central hubs in the North Jersey transportation corridor, and this federal funding will improve critical infrastructure and increase safety.”

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