Speaking at Boston’s airport on Monday, President Joe Biden highlighted his administration’s $25 billion investment to improve airports around the country, including $62 million for Logan International so far.
The bipartisan infrastructure law passed last year included $5 billion specifically for airport terminal improvements, and the Biden administration announced the first $1 billion in funding for 85 airports earlier this summer.
At Logan International, its Terminal E — which is home to most international airlines — will expand to improve customer experience, Biden said. Another $12 million will go to bettering roads around the airport.
When the terminal first opened in 1974, it served 1.4 million international passengers, according to the White House, compared to 5.9 million in 2019.
“It means crowded gates, longer taxi times, airplanes full of passengers just waiting — all of which is causing congestion and flight delays,” Biden said.
“It's frustrating. It's inconvenient. And it’s bad for the environment. And there's simply no reason for it. This is the United States of America, for God's sake.”
Biden has often pointed to the fact that the U.S. used to be ranked first in the world for investment in research and development, now surpassed by China and other major economies.
“We've talked about having the best economy in the world. We've talked about asserting American leadership around the world, with the best of the safest roads, railroads, ports, airports,” he said. “Now, we're finally doing something about it. We're finally getting it done.”
The bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure law is the largest investment in roads, bridges, broadband, waterways, ports, airports and more in decades.
The president on Monday also pointed out how the airport improvements will create jobs and boost the local economy.
The construction is expected to support around 5,900 jobs, of which 90% would be union jobs.
The White House also called Logan Airport is an “economic engine for the region,” supporting small businesses and helping employ more than 162,000 people.
Biden on Monday said that not a single American airport ranks in the top 25 around the world. The infrastructure law’s funding for airports is expected to be doled out over the next five years, reaching airports large and small.
“Just imagine walking in here when the construction is done. A bright modern terminal. You know you're in the 21st century, the greatest country in the world, one of the finest cities in the country,” the president mused.
“You're not only doing this here in Boston. With this new law across the country, we're investing $25 billion —$25 billion — to modify our airports. From airports serving small towns like Turners Falls airport in western Massachusetts to major cities like Boston. It matters.”