The director of Glacier Park International Airport is “cautiously optimistic” that federal funding for a taxiway paving project can be salvaged because of legislation passed by Congress last week.

If so, construction still would be delayed until next summer.

After a political standoff that caused a partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration for weeks, Congress passed a temporary funding extension on Friday that is expected to restore dozens of stalled airport projects and thousands of construction jobs.

Glacier Park International Airport Director Cindi Martin said she had been in contact with an FAA liaison Tuesday and it appears that the airport should be successful in securing grants that would pay for the $6.8 million taxiway project that was planned for this summer.

“Regardless, we aren’t going to go to construction this year. It’s too late,” Martin said, adding that other airports will be in a similar situation. “Most [airports] in the northern tier have very short construction seasons.”

The taxiway project was expected to employ more than 50 people through the main contractor, Knife River, along with subcontractors.

Martin is hopeful that the grants can be acquired by mid-September before the end of the FAA’s fiscal year.

“We are cautiously optimistic,” she said. “The work will not go this summer. That’s an absolute. But if we can get all those grants in hand, the money is ours and we don’t have to worry about losing it.”

In that case, she said, the project would get under way as soon as the weather allows next year.

The taxiway is considered a sister project to the major runway overhaul in 2009, causing the airport to be closed three days a week. The taxiway work is not expected to cause any down time for passengers.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.