Regional airports across Central Texas are bracing for growth -- and making sure they're prepared to handle more air traffic.

Wednesday state and local officials broke ground on a new airport tower at San Marcos Municipal Airport. The nine story tower is more than a beacon of safety for pilots. San Marcos officials say it marks a sky high corridor of commerce.

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"It will create jobs; it'll bring more opportunities to anything that's related to aviation work, logistics corporate planes just so many things. So it's going to have a huge regional impact," Mayor Susan Narvaiz said.

The tower project costs about $2.2 million, and will be completed in 2010. In the next 12 to 18 months, more than $8 million in federal, state and local money will go toward revamping the airport.

Improvements are also being made at the Georgetown Municipal Airport, another place that provides space for privately owned planes.

$660,000 in federal and state funds will go toward renovating and repaving runways, and making other improvements.

"Whether it's pilots that are based here or pilots coming in and out of the airport, it's an important economic engine for the region," Georgetown spokesman Keith Hutchinson said.

The Taylor Municipal Airport is also getting a bit of a facelift -- a grant from TXDOT for $250,000 means the city can clear trees and power lines that were obstructing runways.