Work at the Farmville Regional Airport is set to begin in October following an announcement this month that the Town of Farmville has been awarded a grant from the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

This funding was granted through the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP), a program that provides grants for the planning and development of public-use airports that are significant to national air transportation.

According to a release from the offices of Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Tim Kaine, the Farmville Regional Airport received $3,437,861.

“The program is to help enhance new and existing infrastructure improvements at airports across the country,” the release cited.

The grant funds awarded to Farmville will be used to rehabilitate a runway as well as reconstruct the lighting.

According to Town Manager Gerald Spates, the last time the Farmville Regional Airport runway was paved was in 1991.

In May the Farmville Regional Airport was also awarded a $3.5 million grant from the FAA to improve its access entrance and to provide more space for public parking and for airplane storage.

According to Spates that grant funding will be used relocate the entrance to the airport, shifting it closer to the Farmville Municipal Golf Course and making more room for public parking and to build additional T-hangers and facilities used to store airplanes.

“We’re pleased to announce this funding to help Virginia airports improve their infrastructure,” said the senators. “These grants will support our local airports as they work to make travel easier for Virginians.”

Though there has not been a definitive date for a potential closure of the airport due to the projects, Spates did say that there might be temporary closures while work is being done.