You could soon see more planes flying into and out of the airport in St. Landry Parish.
A multi-million dollar grant would expand the airport with more hangars, fencing, and maintenance.
The 3.5 million dollar plan has already passed in the house, will now go to the Senate, then to President Biden's desk.
Six private hangers are currently being built at the St. Landry Parish airport.
Parish President Jessie Bellard said the six new private hangers should be built by the end of the year,creating more space for smaller aircraft.
“Our intent here is to make it easier for people to land and take off. We do have some corporate planes that land over here. So that's about as far as we’re going commercial,” said Bellard. We even some Lafayette places that land here because it's easier for them to come land here and get in a car and drive back and forth to Lafayette and then it is the land in Lafayette because it's so congested, there's so much activity over there.”
Bellard said the airport has enough room to add 20 more hangars without being overcrowded with the potential of contributing to more business growth in the Parish.
"It helps keep take the dogs off the runways, coyotes are always something that wants to come on a runway. So this fencing has taken that away from him so that way we don't have to worry about that crossing the path of airplanes when they're landing,” Bellard said. "I know they have the bigger planes land over there in Lafayette so what we try to do is make sure we can we can accommodate the small aircraft here,” he added.
"Without having an airport the Walmart Distribution doesn't come. So having an airport located in your Parish attracts these big businesses to come into the Parish,” Bellard said.
Airport manager Lloyd Ardoin said hangar lot space is available and those who are interested should contact the St. Landry Parish Airport at (337) 407-1551.
Bellard is hoping for the senates approval before the midterms.
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