WESTCHESTER COUNTY, New York (WABC) — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited the Tri-State area on Monday to announce renovations at Westchester County Airport.<\/p>\n
The hundreds of thousands of yearly passengers flying in and out of Westchester County Airport will soon get a smoother, safer ride after receiving $18 million from Congress’ Working Families Tax Cut Act that passed last year.<\/p>\n
New radar systems, voice switches and controller displays are part of the upgrades in the air traffic control tower.<\/p>\n
“It’s pushing what… 60-plus years old? And the equipment is old, and I want to be clear, old doesn’t mean it’s not safe,” Duffy said.<\/p>\n
The transportation secretary toured the air traffic control tower with Republican Congressman Mike Lawler.<\/p>\n
“Over the last 40 years we have seen Americans travel at record levels and certainly our airport infrastructure needs to be upgraded,” Lawler said.<\/p>\n
“To modernize it’s really important. As the congressman mentioned, we have $18 million coming to your airport here and taking what is pretty old technology and building it brand new,” Duffy said.<\/p>\n
Duffy said that aside from the new technology, the money will help with hiring new air traffic controllers, and make their jobs less stressful.<\/p>\n
“Our controllers, if you hear anything about their jobs, they’re stressed… they get burnt out. And so, if I can give them the additional tools that can take some of that stress off, the technology can help them better do their job, I want to give it to them,” Duffy said.<\/p>\n
“We saw in New York, LaGuardia and JFK go through significant renovations and ongoing,” Lawler said. “We’ve seen it at Newark. It needs to happen here at Westchester County as well.”<\/p>\n
Duffy said all upgrades are expected to be complete by October of 2028.<\/p>\n
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