Durbin, Bustos Announce $4.35 Million For Improvements At Chicago Rockford International Airport
[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Cheri Bustos (D-IL) announced today that the Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) has received $ 4,350,000 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Airport Improvement Program for runway and taxiway rehabilitation. Upgrades to the runway will allow the airport to accommodate current and additional air cargo activity.
“Chicago Rockford International is one of Northern Illinois’ premiere airports. It serves as an important transportation link and is one of the state’s busiest hubs for local business,” said Durbin. “Today’s funding will support local, good-paying jobs and improve RFD’s ability to serve northern Illinois residents and businesses safely and efficiently.”
“I believe that by investing in our networks of roads, bridges, rail lines, airports and waterways we are creating jobs and making a down payment on our region’s long term economic well-being,” said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “Today’s investment in the Chicago Rockford International Airport will help our area transport goods and passengers in a safer manner while also putting people to work and growing the local economy.”
Today’s grant was awarded on a competitive basis through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Airport Improvement Program which is funded by the Airport and Airways Trust Fund. Revenue in to the trust fund comes from ticket taxes, user fees and aviation fuel taxes. These funds are authorized by Congress in multi-year FAA reauthorization acts and then appropriated each year by Congress. The FAA determines which airport projects are the highest priority and distributes their discretionary funding to them accordingly.