US airports could soon be able to access up to $500 million dollars in federal funding for aerotropolis transport projects under new legislation being tabled in Congress.
US representative Steve Cohen and 19 other congressmen have proposed the Aerotropolis Act of 2010, an amendment to the federal SAFETEA-LU law, allowing airports to apply for funding earmarked for surface transport infrastructure projects.
Larry Cox, president and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, emphasised the national significance of the bill, commenting: "This is not a piece of legislation just for Memphis, it is for the nation, it will publicise what airport cities and aerotropolises are and the benefits they provide for communities around an airport."
"This bill will provide another avenue for airport regional planning and the funding of critical projects that will make the areotropolis more successful," he added.
Cox said the airport authority was already looking to draw up an aerotropolis master plan in order to highlight the importance of such developments to the region and gain more publicity on Capitol Hill.
By Oliver Clark
