A planned expansion of parking at Kona International Airport moved a step closer as Gov. Linda Lingle today announced the release of $7.1 million for the project.

The project provides an additional 563 public and employee parking spaces at the West Hawai'i airport.

The funds will be used to expand the lot — the original employee parking lot — by adding 392 public parking stalls. This phase of the project includes resurfacing the main terminal parking lot and entry area, and other related improvements such as landscaping, lighting, installing concrete curbs and pedestrian walkways.

The current project will also include expanding the Road N lot, by an additional 171 stalls. When the project is complete will offer 1,813 public and employee parking stalls — 1,279 for public use and 534 reserved for airport and airline employees.

The parking improvements are part of the administration's 12-year, $2.3 billion statewide airports modernization plan, which is paid for by airport fees and federal funds not state general funds.