Alaska Department of Transportation officials said that as much as $256.3 million will be spent on statewide airport projects this year.

Much of the funding will come through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Federal Aviation Administration airport improvement program funds.

Stimulus funds alone will fuel construction on eight projects totaling of $78.3 million to move or upgrade airports in Anchorage, Akiachak, Allakaket, Ouzinkie, Fairbanks, Fort Yukon, King Salmon and Huslia.

DOT has started work on $73.4 million in projects using stimulus funds received through Federal Aviation Administration grants, said DOT spokesman Roger Wetherell. As of Aug. 31, the department had spent $10.2 million of that on these projects.

DOT also is working to finalize FAA grants worth about $178 million for airport improvements around the state.

Some projects around the state will include runway lighting, apron improvements, taxiway repaving and safety overruns.

The state of Alaska owns and operates 258 airports, 37 seaplane bases and one heliport. California by comparison has only 250 state-owned, public-use airports.