Durbin Announces $9 Million To Improve Airport Safety
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), has awarded Illinois airports grants totaling $9,499,326 for safety improvement projects, including runway and taxiway rehabilitation.
“These critical funds will help improve safety for travelers flying in and out of our state,” said Durbin. “Investing in our airports is key to our state’s economic success, and I will continue working to ensure Illinois communities have access to the federal resources that make air travel safer and more efficient.”
Under this announcement, the following grantees will receive FAA funding:
State of Illinois:
· $500,000 to evaluate the existing airport system and identify airport development needs;
· $2,101,470 to rehabilitate Taxiways B and C at Waukegan National Airport;
· $330,103 to rehabilitate Taxiway B at Litchfield Municipal Airport;
· $283,480 to rehabilitate Runway 9/27 at Kewanee Municipal Airport;
· $1,600,890 to rehabilitate Runway 6/24 at Albertus Airport;
· $850,000 to fund Phase 1 of the rehabilitation of Taxiway B at St. Louis Downtown Airport
Midway International Airport:
· $1,984,784 to fund Phase 2 of the rehabilitation of 5,546 feet of Runway 04R/22L to maintain its structural integrity and minimize debris;
· $72,000 to purchase twelve Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) squitter units for airport ground vehicles to reduce the risk of runway incursions and collision between aircraft and airport vehicles;
O'Hare International Airport: $162,000 to purchase 27 Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) squitter units for airport ground vehicles to reduce the risk of runway incursions and collision between aircraft and airport vehicles;
University of Illinois-Willard: $1,614,599 to fund pavement removal and closure of Runway 18/36 to improve safety, as recommended by the Runway Safety Action Team.