Foley officials are pushing forward with plans to expand and upgrade the city’s airport with new hangars, taxilanes and drainage improvements.

Foley City Council voted Tuesday, Sept. 2, to apply for multiple transportation grants that would help fund construction of 10 new T-hangars. The proposed units would be built in a 248-foot by 60-foot building south of the apron near the existing T-hangars.

The city currently has 48 hangars, all of which are leased, and more than 100 applicants remain on a waiting list for space.

Foley is seeking an Airport Improvement Project grant from the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) to move forward with the new construction. City officials also approved applications for Federal Aviation Administration and ALDOT funding to build taxilanes that would give aircraft access to the new hangars.

This effort follows a recent expansion in 2024, when the city added eight hangar units. The council also approved applying for an FAA/ALDOT grant to reimburse Foley for part of those costs. The FAA is reimbursing the city in stages, and Foley has already received two previous grants covering portions of the 2024 project.

In addition to expanding hangar space, Foley is targeting long-term improvements to airport infrastructure. The council voted to seek funding for a drainage project designed to reduce erosion south of the Runway Safety Area on the east side of the main runway.

Runoff from a nearby neighborhood has been causing erosion that could affect airport operations. Planned improvements would slow water flow and strengthen drainage across the affected area, according to city officials.