Senator Collins Announces Nearly $11.5 Million for Steven A. Bean Municipal Airport in Rangeley

Washington, D.C.  - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the Town of Rangeley will receive $11,470,516 to extend the runway at Steven A. Bean Municipal Airport.  The funding, which was awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), will allow Rangeley to extend the airport’s runway and make several other key enhancements to support air medical transport in this particularly rural area of Maine.  Senator Collins wrote a letter to the Department of Transportation in support of the Town of Rangeley’s request that was co-signed by Senator Angus King and Representative Bruce Poliquin.

“Steven A. Bean Municipal Airport is a gateway to the Rangeley Lakes Region and is an important transportation option for residents, visitors, businesses, and those who need emergency medical care,” said Senator Collins.  “As the number of outdoor recreationalists traveling to Franklin County increases, this investment to expand the airport’s runway will allow Rangeley to improve access to vital medical services while also providing long-term benefits for the local economy.”

As Chairman of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Collins was instrumental in securing an additional $1 billion in AIP funding earlier this year prioritized for small and non-primary airports such as the Steven A. Bean Airport.

Town officials project that Rangeley will experience significant economic growth over the next two years.  Without access to air transport, a person in need of medical care must travel at least 50 minutes by rural roads to the nearest hospital. 

The Steven A. Bean Airport, formerly known as Rangeley Airport, was constructed in 1934 and serves Franklin County.