Washington-Warren Airport has been allocated $150,000 from the N.C. Department of Transportation for improvements.

The grant for the airport, owned by the City of Washington, comes from the Federal Aviation Administration’s non-primary entitlement funds and through the state’s block-grant program for aviation-related projects. The funds are intended for airside safety needs first, after which other needs may be considered, according to a letter from Bobby L. Watson, an engineer with DOT’s Division of Aviation.

As a condition of receiving the grant, the city is required to contribute $16,667 to the improvement project.

““The grant money is to be used for the design phase of Runway 5-23 Pavement Rehabilitation — Overlay. The purpose of the project is to rehabilitate the pavement surface and strengthen existing pavement to accommodate aircraft up to 60,000 lb.,”wrote Frankie Buck Jr., the city’s public-works director, in an email.

An FAA official explained the funding program.

“North Carolina is what we call a … a state block grant recipient. We give them (state) a grant. They divvy that grant up among the smaller airports,” said Arlene Salac, an FAA public-affairs spokeswoman, in a brief interview last week.

During its Nov. 14 meeting, the City Council authorized the mayor to execute the $164,074 pavement rehabilitation grant awarded by the Division of Aviation. The grant now moves to the next step in the funding process. A 2014 report issued by DOA indicates the runway is in poor condition. The grant requirements call for the city to contribute $18,231 toward the project, estimated to cost $182,305, according to city documents. The state grant accounts for 90 percent of the project cost.

During its Nov. 23, 2015, meeting, the council unanimously voted to hire Talbert & Bright to provide airport planning, environmental analysis, preliminary and final designs, estimating, bidding and construction management and other functions. The firm will help prepare applications for grants related to airport work and provide technical assistance and advice concerning airport needs, future development, funding strategies and implementation of airport projects, according to a city document.

The N.C. Department of Transportation requires that local governments that own airports seek requests for qualifications from engineering firms every five years. The city received four proposals. Talbert & Bright’s compensation depends on the work it does for the city.