An ongoing project in Perry to complete improvements on the airport recently received much needed funding. 

City Administrator Sven Peterson says they continue to work on the runway extension project and  recently the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the project is receiving funding for it to be completed. 

“We were notified about two weeks ago that we received $4.5 million from the FAA for our extension, and the timing of that money, and the timing of our current projects with the relocation of our current runway and reconstruction are really working out perfectly.”

Peterson tells Raccoon Valley Radio that hopefully by this time next year the entire runway will be paved and hopes are to open the runway by the end of next year. Peterson explains the benefit to improving the runway. 

“So, the Perry Airport will actually be the same size as the Ankeny Airport once that’s complete, so we will really be the major airport on the west side of the metro. So, I am hoping that we will be able to really position ourselves in such a way that we are able to attract some of that air traffic for that business climate on the west side of Des Moines.”

The money received will go toward helping complete the extension of the 4,000 foot runway at the Perry Airport.