AUBURN (WGME) – A plan to expand the Auburn Airport is taking off with a promise of new funding.

The plan is expected to get a big boost from federal funding, with Congressman Jared Golden getting a preview of the plan Friday.

The new proposed hanger would open up some much-needed space at the Auburn Airport, and officials say it would set them up for some future growth as well.

Golden took to the tarmac at the Auburn Airport Friday, as the facility anxiously awaits more than $1.5 million in funding to build a new hangar.

The airport says the expansion will not only add more space for planes, but also the possibility of adding passenger air service sometime in the future.

“I see from 50 to 100,000 passengers embarking out of this airport for vacations, work and so-forth, and really for this airport to be a vibrant hub for commercial activity,” Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque said.

The project, which is one of 15 chosen by Golden this year as part of the federal appropriations process, could be finished by next spring, as long as the funding comes through.

The congressman is hoping this expansion will serve as a jumping-off point that could stir more opportunities in an already growing area.

“I don’t think the state’s overall economy can be successful unless both Lewiston and Auburn economies are growing and reaching their full potential,” Golden said. “So to me, this is just a very worthy investment in a great town, but also a really important region in the state.”

Golden says the funding should be voted on by Congress in the coming weeks and should be available to the airport come December.