New site aims to track $12.5B in air traffic control system upgrades

First on CBS Politics New site aims to track $12.5 billion in air traffic control system upgrades By Kris Van Cleave Kris Van Cleave Kris Van Cleave Emmy Award-winning journalist Kris Van Cleave is the senior transportation correspondent for CBS News based in Phoenix, Arizona, where he also serves as a national correspondent reporting for all CBS News broadcasts and platforms. Read Full Bio Kris Van Cleave May 22, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Just as the TSA expects to screen more than 18 million flyers for Memorial Day weekend, the Department of Transportation is rolling out a new website tracking the $12.5 billion effort to modernize the nation's air traffic control system.The Modern Skies website aims to highlight more than 10,000 projects underway nationwide and will include summaries of key projects and a progress tracker, updated monthly, with the status of work completed and projects still underway. Also part of the site is an interactive map that breaks down projects by city, state, airport, ZIP code or congressional district, showing completed projects and work that's upcoming in the next month."One of the reasons past air traffic control modernization efforts failed was a lack of transparency. We're taking a different approach — letting every American get a front row view of how President Trump is revolutionizing our skies," Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in a statement to CBS News.  "We're forecasting 5.4 million flights from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend," Duffy added. "That surging demand underscores why the work we're doing is so important."With funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the FAA is working to replace aging infrastructure with new radar systems, radios, fiber optic cables and upgraded aircraft tracking technology for when planes are moving around on the ground at airports and in the air.Duffy has pledged to complete significant upgrades to the nation's aviation system by 2028. Pla...