The Federal Aviation Administration awarded Flagstaff airport a $7.8 million grant to restore the small hub’s more than 8,000-foot runway.

Allen Kenitzer is a spokesman with the FAA. He says the annual grants are given out based on need. 

"In this case its restoring the structural integrity. Runways are thick, they’re generally made of concrete and they have to be built to a certain standard to handle certain aircraft," Kenitzer said.

Work is scheduled to being this fall and should be completed in early 2018.