Air traffic control tower to be replaced at Pocatello Regional Airport
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POCATELLO — The Pocatello Regional Airport is among several airports nationwide set to receive significant federal upgrades as part of a sweeping modernization effort announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
The Department of Transportation is investing more than $750 million to replace eight aging air traffic control towers and Terminal Radar Approach Control facilities, including the one in Pocatello, with new, state-of-the-art buildings. The Federal Aviation Administration is also awarding $85.8 million to improve Federal Contract Towers at 41 airports in 24 states.
“This administration is laser focused on ushering in the Golden Age of Transportation, and investing in our aging air traffic control towers is critical to that mission,” Duffy said in the announcement, criticizing what he described as years of deterioration under the previous administration.
FAA officials say many control tower buildings face failing HVAC systems, pest problems, and leaking roofs that have disrupted air traffic operations. The FAA selected replacement sites based on safety and efficiency needs across the national airspace system.
New towers will be built in:
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Greer, South Carolina
- Lawton, Oklahoma
- Pocatello, Idaho
- Sacramento, California
- San Jose, California
- Tamiami, Florida
“Our controllers are the best in the world, and they deserve to work in the best, most modern facilities,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, adding that the upgrades will enhance safety, reliability, and system capacity.
Alongside the tower replacements, the FAA’s Federal Contract Tower Grant Program is funding modernization projects nationwide, including:
- $915,000 for facility improvements at Acadiana Regional Airport
- $800,000 for design work on a new tower at Marana Regional Airport
- $1 million for infrastructure upgrades at Missoula County Airport Authority
- $10 million to build a new tower at Wiley Post Airport
The new projects will include updated windows, elevators, roof replacements, climate control systems, and modern communications and lighting equipment. Federal officials say the improvements will create high-paying construction and technology jobs and support a more reliable, future-ready aviation network.
According to the FAA, ongoing evaluations of facility conditions and traffic demands will continue to shape modernization priorities in the years ahead.