Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) has begun the first phase of an expansion, with a new taxiway and access road on the northwest side of the airport, as well as future growth for different operations.

The airport, located in Tanner, broke ground this month on a concrete taxiway and access road off the existing parallel taxiway for Runway 18/36. This project will ultimately become the airport’s cargo ramp, with 188,000 square feet of ramp space.

The entire project can accommodate Boeing 737 or larger military aircraft, such as the C-130, authorities said.

Airport Director Adam Fox said the development will help accommodate freight operations and provide space for businesses to build facilities there.

“Pryor Field handles a tremendous amount of on-demand freight for partners in the North Alabama area as well as several from Tennessee,” Airport Director Adam Fox said. “We recently completed an airport master plan with Goodwyn Mills Cawood, our aviation planning and engineering partners, and are proud to now begin checking projects off the list.”

Currently the Airport Authority has received four Letters of Intent from companies looking to build on the northwest side of the airport. The Airport Authority recently approved plans to construct a 12,000-square-foot hangar facility, with classroom space, north of the airport’s terminal building.

The $2.6 million airport taxiway and access road project, currently underway, was awarded to Wiregrass Construction. The Airport Authority received $1.3 million in grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), $73,086 in grant funding from ALDOT Aeronautics, and a $1.2 million bank bond to match the grants from the Authority.

Earlier this year, the Pryor Field Airport Authority Board approved a 25-year lease with a 10-year option with Acquisition Integration (AI) for a maintenance, repair and overhaul operation at the airport.

Based in Huntsville, Acquisition Integration is a distribution, logistics and services company serving the commercial and military aerospace and vehicles industries. AI has developed a four-phase plan to build 170,000 square feet of hangar and office space at Pryor Field, investing nearly $30 million and creating approximately 250 jobs.