U.S. Congressman John Carter announced Thursday that the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport has been awarded two Federal Aviation Administration grants in order to make structural and safety improvements.

Killeen will receive $900,000 to fund a master plan study and $400,500 for the initial engineering phase to replace passenger boarding bridges and install wildlife hazard reduction equipment.

“Killeen is the home to our nation’s largest military installation and home to so many of our brave men and women in uniform,” said Rep. Carter. “These funds will greatly support the airport, and improve the travel experience for the families visiting loved ones at Ft. Hood, and the surrounding community. This grant will also benefit economic development in Central Texas, and to those who travel through the Killeen-Ft. Hood Regional Airport.”

Carter said the funding was made available through the Airport Improvement Program, which provides grants to public agencies for the planning and development of public-use included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.

Killeen Mayor Scott Cosper thanked Carter in a statement issued Thursday and stressed how vital the airport is to connecting Fort Hood soldiers and their families to locations across the country and the globe.

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