SALISBURY, Md. -- The Salisbury Regional Airport is preparing for a long-awaited air traffic control tower modernization. A $1.3 million project will replace technology that has gone largely untouched since the building opened in 1999.
According to Salisbury Airport Director Tony Rudy, only about 5% of the tower's equipment has been updated over the past 26 years, and much of it is now considered outdated.
"The equipment here is aging," said Rudy. "Some of it's been upgraded over the years, but it was time to really take an inventory of what equipment is here and what needs to be updated per the FAA."
The upcoming project will overhaul the tower's consoles, workspaces, and communications systems. The Federal Aviation Administration will provide 95% of the funding, while the State of Maryland and Wicomico County will handle the remaining 5%.
Rudy said officials have been exploring upgrade options for years, but the necessary mix of federal, state, and local funding only recently came together.
The improvements come as the airport continues to grow, with recent projects including a runway expansion and the addition of Breeze Airways service.
"You have to also realize that safety is paramount first and foremost above everything else," said Wicomico County Council President John Cannon. "That's why this is a really good measure that we're taking in order to get the funding for this project."
Rudy said the plan is to bid this project out in the spring. If that timeline holds, the air traffic control tower could be equipped with new technology by the end of 2026.