ARLINGTON — The city is poised to accept a Federal Aviation Administration grant to design lighting for the Arlington Airport’s primary taxiway.

Lighting the taxiway will provide for a higher level of safety for aircraft during nighttime and low visibility conditions.

Airport operations coordinator Tim Mensonides explained to the City Council May 23 that the FAA is funding 90 percent of the project, which will install taxiway edge lighting and lighted signs along the length of Taxiway Charlie, on the west side of the airport.

The state Department of Transportation was asked for an aviation grant to fund half of the remaining 10 percent, leaving the airport on the hook for only 5 percent.

“We already received a letter of confirmation from the FAA, and WSDOT loves leveraging dollars, so it’s looking highly favorable on that front, “Mensonides said.

City Administrator Paul Ellis pointed out that the airport already has approximately $427,000 in the capital improvement plan fund that can be applied to the project, and that should provide enough for the airport to pay the invoices initially, then immediately apply for reimbursement from the FAA.

“We have to do it on a reimbursement basis anyway, in order to receive the grants,” Mensonides said.

Ellis added: “But the full amount of the project has already been budgeted. The grants are a plus.”

City staff budgeted $180,000 for the project in 2016.

On April 12, the Arlington Airport Commission approved a contract with WHPacific for the design and bidding services for the project, in an amount not to exceed $126,229.