(BIVN) – The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $5,512,623 in new federal grant funding for runway improvements at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole.

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D,Hawai‘i) announced the funding on Monday. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing, Schatz has helped to secure more than $70 million for the runway rehabilitation project.

“This new federal funding will help modernize and strengthen infrastructure at Kona International Airport, making it more reliable and safer for travelers,” said Senator Schatz.

The Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole is the largest airport on Hawai‘i Island and the state’s second international entry point. The new federal funding will help restore and upgrade the runway to meet modern standards and ensure its long-term operational reliability, the Senator says.