Airport Improvement Program
Forecasted
Airport Improvement Program supports Wisconsin public-use airport owners with runway, land, lighting and navigational improvements to enhance safety and keep airports operational.
Funder: Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2028 (Statement of Project Intentions)
Funding Amounts: State-only aid normally covers 80% of eligible development or 50% of some planning projects; eligible buildings capped at $1.25 million
Summary: Supports physical improvements at Wisconsin public-use airports through combined federal, state and local resources.
Key Information: State-aid obligations generally last 20 years, with no time limit for real property acquired with state funds.
Description
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Airport Improvement Program combines federal, state and local resources to improve more than 100 public-use airports throughout Wisconsin, primarily owned by counties, cities, towns and villages. Supported work includes runway construction and reconstruction, land acquisition, navigational aids and lighting. The Bureau of Aeronautics administers the program within the Division of Transportation Investment Management.
Airport system plans guide funding decisions, with priority given to improvements that enhance safety or keep airports operational. Through an agency agreement with the airport owner, the bureau oversees planning, coordination, design, land acquisition, construction and financial transactions. Eligible projects compete for limited resources, so inclusion in an improvement plan does not guarantee funding or construction on the owner’s preferred schedule.
