ORANGE — The airport just received more than $150,000 in state funding for an upgrade that airport Manager Leonard Bedaw says will make things safer.
The Orange Municipal Airport was granted $151,859.51 from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division for emergency funding of a new tractor and attachments.
“The new tractor is desperately needed at the airport in order to keep the runway approach and safety areas clear of obstructions,” Bedaw said in a statement. “The new tractor will replace the airport’s old 2002 tractor. We would expect delivery in the summer of 2019,” he added.
According to Bedaw, the grant requires no local or federal share, and is funded entirely by the state. The tractor must be purchased before June 30, 2019, when the grant expires.