Rayville secures grants for airport, sewer expansion

The Town of Rayville will extend sewerage service south to the Louisiana Veteran’s Cemetery thanks to a capital outlay grant from the state.

“We already had water service running out to the cemetery but the sewerage service stopped at Winnsboro State Bank,” Rayville Mayor Harry Lewis said. “This will allow us to extend the service all the way out to the cemetery.”

Lewis added this would make it easier for new businesses along Highway 425 to tie into Rayville’s water system.

The project will be funded with a $1,274,229.30 capital outlay grant from the state.

In addition, the John H. Hooks Memorial Airport in Rayville will undergo runways repairs than to a federal grant.

“We’re trying to upgrade our runway our there,” Rayville Mayor Harry Lewis said. “We need to repair it due to safety concerns with planes landing and taking off.”

Sen. John Kennedy, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the airport will receive $135,000 in grand funds as part of $10.9 million in federal grants from the Department of Transportation to improve airports across Louisiana.

“Millions of travelers fly to and from Louisiana airports each year. This funding will promote safety, reduce delays and make air travel more efficient,” Kennedy said.

“We are certainly appreciative of these funds,” Lewis said, “because it allows us to complete these projects without cost to our local taxpayers.”