U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg will announce a $28.8 million airfield safety project at DFW International Airport Thursday, a move aimed at preventing near collisions between jets that have raised concerns about the nation’s travel system.
The project will build a southwest end-around taxiway to reduce the need for aircraft to cross runways 36L and 36R at the airport. Buttigieg is visiting airports all over the country as part of a tour to highlight Federal Aviation Administration investments, following an uptick in close calls on airfields.
“We can never take for granted that air travel is the safest mode of transportation in America. We must continue working to make aviation even safer by eliminating close calls like the ones we’ve seen in recent weeks,” said Buttigieg in a release. “This funding will make it significantly safer for planes to navigate the airfield, reducing the risk of a potential collision, while also reducing delays and carbon emissions.”
