Merrill Field gets nearly $954,000, mostly federal, to plan its future

Merrill Field would receive nearly $954,000, most of it federal, for planning work under two measures the Anchorage Assembly takes up Tuesday. The money, largely from the Federal Aviation Administration with a small airport match, would pay for figuring out how the airport should grow and updating its official layout.

The bulk of it funds the next phase of Merrill Field's master plan update, the piece that weighs development options, settles on a preferred concept, and lays out how to get there. That work is expected to take about a year once the grant comes through.

A smaller share updates the airport's layout plan, which the FAA requires after new instrument flight procedures were published for Merrill Field in 2024. Finishing it keeps the airport's layout FAA-approved, a condition federally funded airports have to meet.

The Assembly can change Merrill Field's capital budget by majority vote.