Broward County is expected to turn away a state grant to start replacing the aging air traffic control tower at North Perry Airport.
Aviation officials are recommending the county decline a roughly $358,000 grant at the on Aug. 21. They want the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to pay for the project instead, according to Arlene Satchell, spokeswoman for the Broward County Aviation Department.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 our preference given that the FAA has jurisdictional responsibilities for Air Traffic Control Tower functions in the U.S.,鈥� Satchell said.
The grant was from the Florida Department of Transportation.
The grant termination occurs as North Perry鈥檚 safety record has come under greater scrutiny. A harrowing plane crash in Pembroke Pines, neighboring the airport, last month led the city to call for an independent investigation of airport safety.
According to the , the air traffic control tower replacement is considered a key project. The tower, more than 60 years old, 鈥渋s in poor condition and is nearing the end of its useful life.鈥�
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Satchell said the grant and its termination were unrelated to recent crashes involving North Perry.
The full project was estimated to cost over $4 million, according to the . Broward County, which operates the regional airport and leases space to private planes, and the Florida DOT were going to split the bill.
Satchell said the project is still under consideration for the long term.
The Trump administration set aside billions of dollars in the 鈥淏ig Beautiful Bill鈥� for the FAA to upgrade air traffic control operations around the country. It鈥檚 not clear yet what airports will be funded.
Pembroke Pines crash
Crash data compiled by the city of Pembroke Pines identified 41 incidents involving planes coming from or towards the airport since 2020. While seven involved planes veering off of a runway with little damage, there have been six fatal crashes and 12 destroyed planes.
鈥淲e have heard too many excuses in the past and our patience has run out with this airport,鈥� Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo wrote in a letter to the county last month.
North Perry鈥檚 tower is one of 256 nationwide part of the ,鈥� meaning it's staffed by a private firm rather than by FAA employees. Towers in this program often don鈥檛 operate at night, just like North Perry, due to reduced air traffic compared to major airports.
However, North Perry is the busiest federal contract tower in the nation, has said. In the last two years, the airport has exceeded its own projections for annual flights by the year 2035.
District 7 Commissioner Alexandra Davis, whose district partially includes Pembroke Pines, organized a town hall to hear concerns from residents about the airport鈥檚 safety record.
The town hall is scheduled for August 27 at the South Regional/Broward College Library starting at 5:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to .
