Tester Announces Funding to Complete Final Phase of Laurel Airport Upgrade

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester has announced nearly $1 million to help Laurel Municipal Airport complete a three-phase project to upgrade its facilities.

“Montana’s local and municipal airports connect folks throughout Big Sky Country,” Tester said. “These upgrades will allow Laurel Municipal Airport to get more Montanans moving and help Yellowstone County’s economy thrive.”

This funding will help advance Tester’s #ConnectMT initiative, which seeks to connect folks across Big Sky Country—both online and in person—by investing in Montana’s physical and digital infrastructure.

“We are very excited to receive this funding,” said Dr. John H. Smith, Chairman of the Laurel Airport Authority. “This will allow us to upgrade our crosswind runway, which has worn out over time. It will also allow us to pave the entire new crosswind runway in one year. This will save the FAA and the Laurel Airport Authority lots of money. I cannot express my excitement to see the culmination of this project, 10 years in the making.”

Tester helped secure an additional $2 million for Laurel Municipal Airport last month to complete the second phase of the project to relocate and upgrade a 3,000-foot crosswind runway.

Tester has announced more than $36 million to upgrade over two dozen airports across the state this year, including those in Bozeman, Missoula, Deer Lodge, Eureka, and Great Falls.