Department of Transportation Launches Website to Track $12.5 Billion Air Traffic Control Upgrades
The Department of Transportation has introduced a new website, Modern Skies, to track the $12.5 billion modernization of the U.S. air traffic control system. This initiative aims to enhance transparency by providing updates on over 10,000 projects nationwide. The website features an interactive map that details projects by location and includes a progress tracker updated monthly. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy emphasized the importance of this transparency, noting past failures due to a lack of it. The upgrades, funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, include replacing outdated infrastructure with new radar systems, radios, and fiber-optic cables. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford highlighted the strain on the current system due to increased flights and new demands from drones and space launches, urging Congress for additional funding.