TRAVERSE CITY -- THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S NEW SPENDING BILL INCLUDES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR NORTHERN MICHIGAN.AND A BIG CHUNK OF THAT "CHANGE" IS GOING TO ONE AIRPORT - IN FACT IT'S AN EARMARK FOR THE *LARGEST AIRPORT IN THE AREA.

CHERRY CAPITAL AIRPORT WILL USE MORE THAN 11 MILLION DOLLARS TO FULLY REPLACE THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER. IT WOULD BE LOCATED ABOUT 600 FEET FROM THE CURRENT TOWER, AND STAND ABOUT TWICE AS TALL.

THAT MONEY IS ACTUALLY AWARDED TO THE F-A-A TO USE AT CHERRY CAPITAL.  AN F-A-A SPOKESMAN SAYS THIS PROJECT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS... AND BECAUSE THE CURRENT TOWER IS MORE THAN 30  YEARS OLD... IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROJECT IN TERMS OF SAFETY AND TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS. THE F-A-A ALREADY HAS ABOUT 10 MILLION DOLLARS SET ASIDE FOR THE PROJECT.

DESIGN PLANS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY AND CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BEGIN THIS FALL.  THE NEW TOWER COULD BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY 2012, and COMMISSIONED IN 2013.