MONTEREY >> A Federal Investment of $14.2 million in support of Monterey Regional Airport’s initial phase of construction for its new terminal has been secured by Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, it was announced Wednesday.

“Any time you get $14.2 million for a project, you have to be happy,” said Monterey Regional Airport Executive Director Mike La Pier. “Clearly more needs to come from the FAA for the building, but this is a great start.”

The funding was through the Airport Improvement Program which provides grants to public agencies — and, in some cases, to private owners and entities — for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems which includes the Monterey airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Residents and visitors alike deserve a Monterey Regional Airport that is safe, reliable, and comfortable,” said Panetta in a press release. “I’m proud to ensure that the federal government is investing in local airports like ours to meet the demands of modern travelers with updated amenities and enhanced safety features. With this federal support, we will continue to improve the mobility, economy and quality of life in California’s 19th Congressional District.”

The award funds a portion of the construction and replacement of the 70-year-old Monterey airport terminal through the Airport Terminals Program. The funding is for the relocation of a LEED Platinum-certified terminal, improved internal airport access, enhanced landside road access, and a multimodal bus connection for Monterey-Salinas Transit, and was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

La Pier said what this funding means is that the FAA is fully onboard with the terminal building after first providing grant funding for the new terminal design and infrastructure, and now for the construction of the building.

The new grant will be the first federal funding dedicated directly to the construction of the replacement terminal building. With the design completed, the Monterey Regional Airport will be ready to move forward with the start of the construction in the spring with completion some time in late 2026.

La Pier said the Monterey Peninsula Airport District Board thanks Panetta for his help and guidance in this process, as it means a great deal to the Monterey airport to have such strong support in the District and in Washington.

Panetta continues working alongside local partners to ensure the federal government plays its role in modernizing the Monterey Regional Airport, according to his office. Previously, Panetta secured more than $64 million in federal funding to support new terminal design, tarmac improvements, and other modernization and safety initiatives.

The total cost of the new terminal from design to construction is $88 million, said La Pier.

In July, more than $2.58 million in federal funding was awarded through the Airport Improvements Grant Program made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, in support of the remainder of the Monterey airport’s Replacement Terminal Design project. That funding was in addition to the $3 million through the same grant program for the design of the terminal, which had a design cost of $6.5 million.

With the design phase of a new airport terminal fully funded, the Monterey Peninsula Airport District Board received a presentation update of the replacement terminal design at its meeting in August by HOK Group Inc. the design, architecture, engineering and urban planning firm out of St. Louis selected in 2022 by the Airport Board as the architect for the replacement terminal. The firm was founded in 1955 and has numerous award-winning airport designs under its belt.

La Pier said the construction drawings for the new terminal will be complete by about Nov. 15, at which point the drawings and specifications will go out to bid.

“Bids should be in hand in January with groundbreaking in April 2025,” he said.