WASHINGTON –
U.S. Senators Benjamin L. Cardin and
Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) today announced a $161,465 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the Town of Ocean City for the design and engineering to reconstruct and rehabilitate the Ocean City Municipal Airport’s north/south runway.
  The runway was originally constructed in 1978 and is now considered to be in a “state of failure” by airport officials.
 

“Safety is my number one priority when it comes to federal funding for airports and this grant will ensure that residents and visitors traveling to Ocean City have an airport that meets current safety standards,” said
Senator Cardin.
  “Ocean City and Worcester County depend on a strong, vibrant airport as an economic engine for the region.”
 

“Each year I fight for federal funding to keep Marylanders on the go and to make traveling in the state safer, faster, and easier. This funding lives up to that promise by extending the life of the runways at Ocean City Municipal Airport,”
Senator Mikulski said. “The increasing amounts of passenger traffic are great news for our economy, but we must provide support so that local airports can safely accommodate the increase in traffic.”

Currently, the Ocean City Municipal Airport handles approximately 36,000 operations a year. The rehabilitation project will bring the runway up to current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety standards.
  The project includes replacing the pavement and upgrading perimeter lighting and directional signage. The rehabilitation project is expected to be completed by May 2010, in time for the summer tourist season.