The upkeep of these airports helps keep regional aviation safe, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) just announced a significant investment in airports throughout Minnesota. MnDOT says it will award $8 million in total for improvement projects at 39 airports across the state, from busy runways in Duluth and Rochester to small municipal fields in towns most travelers have never landed in. Get our free mobile appOther dollars go toward stormwater pollution prevention planning, fuel pump replacements, facilities upgrades and security lighting. Since fiscal year 2022, this same grant fund has supported more than 260 safety projects statewide, all financed through the State Airports Fund rather than the general budget. This round of funding spreads that investment to all corners of the state, one small field at a time.