The City of Newton hopes to spend just over $100,000 to complete a $1.2 million parking area expansion for airplanes at the municipal airport. The City has just submitted a grant application to the Federal Aviation Administration, based on the low $1,232,228 bid from Jensen Builders Limited of Des Moines. The City of Newton’s local match under the grant application, would be $101,611. The engineer’s estimate for the apron expansion was just under $1.8 million. 

Newton Community Development Director Erin Chambers says the additional parking space for planes is needed for IndyCar and NASCAR race weekends at Iowa Speedway. Currently, Chambers says some planes have to be kept at other nearby airports.

“This will have a significant impact on the community from an economic standpoint, keeping those visitors here in town instead of going back and forth to Des Moines or Ankeny. Also there is an economic impact when those planes are purchasing fuel from the Newton Airport. So keeping them here during those large events is good for the community.”

The Newton Municipal Airport is located next to Iowa Speedway. It’s not known exactly when the Federal Aviation Administration will make a decision on the city’s grant application.