A plane rests on the Hillsdale airport runway. Olivia Hajicek | Collegian

The Hillsdale Municipal Airport has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to build a new terminal. 

The FAA has awarded $1 billion in grants for airport terminal development projects across the country under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to the administration’s website. 

Airport Administrator Ginger Moore said she was shocked and excited to learn on Monday that Hillsdale’s airport was one of the recipients. 

“We’ve been working on getting the grant for the new terminal for years,” she said. 

The new terminal is still being designed, Moore said. She said the current terminal, built in 1963, will be demolished to make room for the airport to complete its new parallel taxiway, which will decrease the chance of collisions. 

“It’s a safety issue to have airplanes taxi on the runway, because someone could land on them or not see them or it,” Moore said. “It’s nice to have a parallel taxiway so that anytime they’re moving on the ground, they’re out of the way of someone taking off or landing.” 

Construction on the taxiway began in 2015, according to a press release from the City of Hillsdale.

The FAA also awarded grants to two other Michigan airports, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City. A total of 104 airports nationwide received grants, according to the FAA.